Missouri exports on pace to break 2006 record

Sales through the end of June were $9.6 billion, a 14 percent gain over $6 billion reported during the same period last year. In 2006, export sales set a record of $12.8 billion.

Twelve product categories each topped $100 million in export sales through the end of June. They were:

• transportation equipment, with $2.6 billion in sales;

• chemicals, with $1.1 billion in sales;

• machinery, with $573 million in sales;

• food and kindred products, with $339 million in sales;

• electrical equipment, with $328 million in sales;

• agricultural products, with $268 million in sales;

• computer and electronic products, with $239 million in sales;

• fabricated metal products, with $216 million in sales;

• minerals and ores, with $187 million in sales;

• primary metal manufacturing, with $152 million in sales;

• waste and scrap, with $131 million in sales; and

• plastics and rubber products, with $117 million in sales.

“This report confirms that Missouri businesses are succeeding in the global economy,” Gov. Matt Blunt said in a news release this morning. “Establishing business relationships with international partners is critical to attracting good, family-supporting jobs to Missouri.”