[StBernard] Louisiana Export Results for 2009

[Westley Annis]

Louisiana Exports Hit 2nd-Highest Level in 2009, Despite Global Downturn

Sales to China Continue to Surge

The value of Louisiana’s worldwide merchandise exports increased each month since September and ended 2009 with overseas sales of $32.7 billion despite the earlier effects of the global recession, according to a report issued today by the World Trade Center of New Orleans. 

The state’s exports in 2009 were exceeded only by 2008’s record-breaking $41.9 billion.  Despite the 22 percent decline in the value of exports in 2009, Louisiana moved up from 9th to 8th in the state rankings. Total U.S. exports fell by 18.7 percent last year.

In terms of volume, an important indicator for the state’s deepwater ports, the decline in total vessel weight for Louisiana’s exports in 2009 was only 3.5 percent compared to 2008, while total U.S. exports measured in tonnage registered a 7 percent decline. 

"With the state’s exports rising in each of the last several months of the year, we’re hopeful that the global contraction has bottomed out and that worldwide recovery is underway and we will starting seeing the effects in 2010 trade figures,” said Larry Collins, Director of International Services with Louisiana Economic Development. 

Although Louisiana’s exports by value to most of its major markets were down last year compared to 2008, sales to China were up a staggering 55 percent, reaching $5.4 billion for the year, more than double the state’s exports to Japan, which ranked second in 2009 with $2.6 billion. Following China and Japan were Mexico, Canada, South Korea, the Netherlands, Egypt, and Singapore.

"There are numerous export opportunities for Louisiana companies in many sectors, and especially in the oil and gas services industry,” said Donald van de Werken, Director of the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center. He encouraged companies to participate in a Louisiana Export Council trade mission to Ghana and Nigeria from March 20-27, where the best prospects include oilfield services, equipment, and technology.

Agricultural products ($13.4 billion, a drop of 15.5 percent); petroleum and coal products ($6.3 billion, a 37.1 percent decline); chemicals ($5.5 billion, a 22.8 percent decline); and processed foods ($3.3 billion, a 10.3 percent decline) ranked as Louisiana's top exports in 2009.

"This is an excellent time for Louisiana companies to get into international trade,” said Eugene Schreiber, Managing Director of the World Trade Center. “The Obama administration is emphasizing exporting by small companies, and there are many training and trade finance programs to assist these companies.”

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. 

The following three charts summarize the data reported above.

Trade reports that provide information on 32 industry categories of Louisiana exports (NAICS <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQaHx-X2UTBcU3CkzfUl7A490L2xdtkz90Ccg2SmMos-TFBeLDCeMfC9KzaRM2SnNdwFfHI3XI2f8SrBzXEHNqk2VmtxepYrPc_7fZ2ism4OyfVV7mROi7qnoDIUSgUO27k=> ) and 97 commodities (HS <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQZP2w9YKDYfGOl2Pl1_rYUV38cKlM6GICRbxVDC1FE8I4OZtKK_ZpL6OfaXmir2Clni_CwZ94f-DcsrHko2mNqN2ioMwS5UhKfvIRv1Qw6IEt9UMY8-HqSrumhy2f-eFHX7-_kbxndNn_eyYb1xr0fq> ) 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 <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQbFx1N8TXIq_-kLLTXVmHxh4nI3H83-31Led2fYrgs8Y4kl8Iv2bAVKd5spaMYO66emrG8CuB3ZnY3Ca8qBbWO72eg8ssOjLew4pm_YU2rKSZI7OfqdKFK90RSdPYbGCts=>  (NAICS)
*	Louisiana Exports by Industry <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQZtr3Q6CoCKVFRG9oJ3nO_Waf6hHizizRBTWYtIFArOdIi30CiggepN2jiDlbfL8XbK0eRym4aJns7AdzvAzhA4QaQcmtP3TK3wGIIU_s87e6Kq0QvJQKnOEGrUnWH5QnD2chcwgcCArw==>  (NAICS)
*	Louisiana Exports by Commodity <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQb-1_9S0IRRWCAjjsk90lND0YhpoTYqYT5MA9JTsA2K8d1cphsI-B6L5XHDm8Z0WzTVsvb-rsRR8F8A-0TwiQ01t1nvglGloL_HxrI5okVVtXSAwUqyM5AcmRYTeXFe30Aj4vhdJAhpDQ==>  (HS)
*	U.S. Exports by State <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQb3LLJJ0PKXLyS00f7hi5VtQbmVPQBuk_ypdVtORKzp4S3ra9qMpuSmWD611EPqwKE_etcv9o0Oue3Azx0BXTo2GrPRexlIVOYZ6Ts5WAecVhw_bC8fghP9ftZpU95j_wjAvtcAXHyflA==>  (NAICS)

Louisiana Exports by Country
(US $, NAICS Database)  

Rank	 Description	 ANNUAL 2008	 ANNUAL 2009	 %2008- 09	 
 	 Total all Countries	 41,926,763,308	 32,714,796,637	 -21.97	 
1	 China	 3,510,119,935	 5,442,004,830	 55.04	 
2	 Japan	 3,224,122,130	 2,554,571,664	 -20.77	 
3	 Mexico	 3,521,512,705	 2,197,701,711	 -37.59	 
4	 Canada	 2,138,766,754	 1,637,543,949	 -23.44	 
5	 South Korea	 1,388,581,544	 1,375,114,535	 -0.97	 
6	 Netherlands	 2,244,912,177	 1,272,339,809	 -43.32	 
7	 Egypt	 1,536,118,125	 1,182,868,657	 -23	 
8	 Singapore	 901,503,607	 1,009,707,262	 12	 
9	 Belgium	 918,175,692	 739,803,111	 -19.43	 
10	 Venezuela	 1,151,044,401	 729,695,879	 -36.61	 

 Louisiana Exports by Industry
(US $, NAICS Database) 

Rank	 Description	 ANNUAL 2008	 ANNUAL 2009	 %2008- 09	 
 	 Total all Industries	 41,926,763,308	 32,714,796,637	 -21.97	 
1	 Agricultural Products	 15,848,243,199	 13,386,231,015	 -15.53	 
2	 Petroleum And Coal Products	 10,002,574,016	 6,294,726,349	 -37.07	 
3	 Chemicals	 7,086,131,196	 5,468,441,467	 -22.83	 
4	 Food And Kindred Products	 3,726,912,669	 3,341,239,519	 -10.35	 
5	 Machinery, Except Electrical	 1,256,695,584	 1,050,381,401	 -16.42	 
6	 Primary Metal Manufacturing	 346,178,896	 538,826,175	 55.65	 
7	 Transportation Equipment	 727,911,053	 390,519,813	 -46.35	 
8	 Fabricated Metal Products, Nesoi	 323,156,736	 327,855,765	 1.45	 
9	 Computer And Electronic Products	 279,517,889	 296,619,513	 6.12	 
10	 Waste And Scrap	 125,061,546	 266,429,999	 113.04	 

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

Rank	 Description	 ANNUAL 2008	 ANNUAL 2009	 %2008- 09	 
 	 Total all States	 1,300,135,649,517	 1,056,931,975,877	 -18.71	 
1	 Texas	 192,143,622,940	 163,046,235,100	 -15.14	 
2	 California	 144,813,262,592	 120,142,219,999	 -17.04	 
3	 New York	 79,596,240,386	 57,320,623,000	 -27.99	 
4	 Washington	 66,884,598,480	 51,739,397,146	 -22.64	 
5	 Florida	 54,271,960,951	 46,919,556,478	 -13.55	 
6	 Illinois	 53,444,521,690	 41,513,559,039	 -22.32	 
7	 Ohio	 45,487,881,861	 34,083,697,044	 -25.07	 
8	 Louisiana	 41,926,763,308	 32,714,796,637	 -21.97	 
9	 Michigan	 44,871,354,173	 32,553,939,379	 -27.45	 
10	 Pennsylvania	 34,448,470,930	 28,253,145,576	 -17.98	 

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

All data Origin of Movement Series.     For full reports, visit the WTC website at www.wtcno.org <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103034850051&s=2636&e=001lwsbJFSshQaCMdBmwm19A6Qy_SQSuvM0Y_F4CNsLENFcPEowjmYxL0qd_1qfS-32KlK8fztDTL7VsNPw1AOcvZ4xmGWZ5XzTrWx4rBqkol8=>