Q3 Louisiana Export Stats Report

November 16, 2009

Louisiana’s Global Exports Still Down for First 9 Months,
While Sales to China Surge

Continuing to feel the full effects of the global recession and low agricultural and oil prices, Louisiana’s worldwide merchandise exports declined by 29 percent in value over the first three quarters of 2009 compared to one year earlier, according to a report issued today by the World Trade Center of New Orleans. This follows a record-breaking year in 2008 with exports from the state reaching nearly $42 billion.

Louisiana’s total export shipments for January-September 2009 declined 29.3 percent to $22.9 billion, compared to the first nine months of 2008, while total U.S. exports dropped by 23.8 percent, according to the WTC report. However, even with its lower exports for the January-September period, Louisiana moved up to 8th in the state rankings from 9th place for all of 2008.

The decrease in total vessel weight for Louisiana’s exports for the first nine months of 2009 was 6.4 percent, compared to the first three quarters of last year, while total U.S. exports measured in tonnage registered a 12.1 percent decline.

Louisiana’s principal export markets for the first nine months of 2009 were China, Japan and Mexico. The state’s shipments to China increased 69.8 percent, reaching $3.1 billion in the first three quarters of the year as exports to almost all other major markets declined.

“Although the effects of the worldwide recession are still impacting Louisiana’s exports to most markets. we’re hopeful that the recovery that is underway in China, India, Europe, and other countries will translate into increased state exports worldwide,” said Larry Collins, Director of International Services with Louisiana Economic Development.

Agricultural products ($8.9 billion, a fall of 22.9 percent); petroleum and coal products ($4.6 billion, a 47.1 percent decline); chemicals ($4.1 billion, a 28.3 percent decline); and processed foods ($2.3 billion, a 24.3 percent decline) ranked as Louisiana’s top exports for the January-September 2009 period.

“There continues to be numerous opportunities for Louisiana suppliers of oilfield services and equipment and other products in selected worldwide markets,” said Donald van de Werken, Director of the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center.
The WTC report was generated by the World Institute of Strategic Economic Research (WISER) from U.S. Census Bureau data. It covers the exports of both Louisiana-originating products and some major commingled bulk commodities (especially grain and coal) that are produced in other states, shipped abroad from Louisiana’s ports, and recorded as Louisiana exports because of the difficulty of identifying the actual states of origin.

“Now is a good time for Louisiana companies to become involved in exporting or importing goods and services as the U.S. and other markets bottom out and begin to recover,” said Eugene Schreiber, Managing Director of the World Trade Center. “And the continuing low value of the dollar is an additional strong incentive to exporters.”

The following three charts summarize the data reported above.

Trade reports that provide information on 32 industry categories of Louisiana exports (NAICS) and 97 commodities (HS) to more than 200 countries worldwide, as well as export totals of other U.S. states, are available on the WTC’s website by clicking the links below.

Louisiana Exports by Country
(US $, NAICS Database)

Rank

Country

Q3 2008 YTD

Q3 2009 YTD

%2008- 09
Total all Countries

32,432,532,506

22,931,828,203

-29.29

1

 China

1,844,662,253

3,132,492,781

69.81

2

 Japan

2,456,773,587

1,845,347,051

-24.89

3

 Mexico

2,869,435,080

1,722,739,180

-39.96

4

 Canada

1,695,062,355

1,214,428,837

-28.35

5

 Egypt

1,327,952,034

1,015,966,734

-23.49

6

 Netherlands

1,662,357,542

959,833,868

-42.26

7

 South Korea

1,119,110,971

859,823,544

-23.17

8

 Singapore

702,944,382

716,426,099

1.92

9

 Belgium

714,208,960

609,553,962

-14.65

10

 India

646,479,074

580,877,363

-10.15

Louisiana Exports by Industry
(US $, NAICS Database)

Rank

Description

Q3 2008 YTD

Q3 2009 YTD

%2008- 09
Total all Industries

32,432,532,506

22,931,828,203

-29.29

1

 Agricultural Products

11,538,381,886

8,895,671,102

-22.9

2

 Petroleum And Coal Products

8,424,189,727

4,458,300,232

-47.08

3

 Chemicals

5,651,693,358

4,053,730,956

-28.27

4

 Food And Kindred Products

3,033,602,568

2,296,122,555

-24.31

5

 Machinery, Except Electrical

793,844,576

806,291,666

1.57

6

 Primary Metal Manufacturing

272,098,601

445,980,352

63.9

7

 Transportation Equipment

539,934,252

265,046,436

-50.91

8

 Fabricated Metal Products, Nesoi

250,799,211

241,568,767

-3.68

9

 Waste And Scrap

97,481,335

241,061,609

147.29

10

 Computer And Electronic Products

190,453,042

219,544,428

15.27

U.S. Exports by State
(US $, NAICS Database)

Rank

State

Q3 2008 YTD

Q3 2009 YTD

%2008- 09
Total all States

1,001,218,990,674

762,756,959,462

-23.82

1

 Texas

147,962,064,494

117,004,268,219

-20.92

2

 California

111,252,107,491

86,497,770,862

-22.25

3

 New York

63,295,675,075

41,732,462,560

-34.07

4

 Washington

54,006,101,586

36,224,666,235

-32.92

5

 Florida

41,322,549,930

34,034,495,399

-17.64

6

 Illinois

40,517,424,398

30,464,008,887

-24.81

7

 Ohio

33,999,787,132

24,186,035,773

-28.86

8

 Louisiana

32,432,532,506

22,931,828,203

-29.29

9

 Michigan

34,605,756,523

22,476,050,382

-35.05

10

 Pennsylvania

26,387,304,794

21,086,780,221

-20.09

Data provided by World Institute for Strategic Economic Research (WISER) from U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division

All data Origin of Movement Series.