Record high for Minnesota's exports
Minnesota's exports hit a record $5.3 billion in the second quarter of the year, up 12 percent from the same period a year ago.
Exports in manufacturing, agriculture and mining products all hit a record high for any quarter in the state's records.
Katie Clark, executive director of the Minnesota Trade Office said the machinery segment was the top export category, driven by electrical machinery. Clark noted electrical machinery increased 22 percent to $698 million.
"The main growing product segments were industrial furnaces, integrated circuits and telecommunications equipment," she said.
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Medical exports, which had dropped off in 2009, are still down year-over-year, but are showing improvement. Medical exports were up in a few markets last quarter and exports to Korea climbed 62 percent.
"Gov. Dayton will be taking a Minnesota delegation to Korea in about a week," Clark said. "It was good to see we're having some growth there, and I think he and the delegation will be focused on creating additional relationships to try to continue to create growth there."
Canada, China, and Japan were the largest three export markets. A big jump in cereal exports was attributed to Japan, where sales were up 57 percent from a year ago.
Exports to Canada, Minnesota's largest export market in the second quarter, were up 18 percent from a year ago, posting $1.6 billion in sales.