California exports rise sharply in September
SACRAMENTO -- California exporters boosted shipments in September by 7.1% compared with the same month in 2012, according to Commerce Department data analyzed by Beacon Economics.
Total exports were valued at $13.78 billion, up from $12.87 billion a year earlier, the Los Angeles consultant’s report said.
Bright spots included a $380-million jump to $8.8 billion in manufactured goods and a $260-million increase in agricultural produce and raw materials to $1.77 billion.
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Despite the strong recent showing, year-to-date totals for merchandise exports were running only a modest amount ahead of the previous year: $122.96 billion in 2013 versus $121.14 billion the previous year.
“Given the generally sclerotic state of much of the global economy these days, September’s numbers could almost be described as gravity defying,” said Beacon’s international trade expert, Jock O’Connell.
California’s biggest trading partners for the quarter that ended in September were Mexico with $6.19 billion, Canada with $4.86 billion, China with $4.17 billion, Japan with $3.08 billion and South Korea with $1.9 billion.
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