Feb 26, 2008 - 04:05:39 CST
North Dakota ranked top in the nation for export growth in 2007, according to U.S. Commercial Service reports.The state's exports totaled $2 billion in 2007, up 34 percent from its $1.5 billion in exports in 2006; nationally, export growth was 12 percent more than the previous year.
Among the top export destinations were Canada, which represented 49 percent of the market, Mexico, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and Australia.
The top exports were skid steer loaders, motor vehicle parts, agricultural tractors, wheat, oil, sunflowers, machinery and crops, according to reports.
Susan Geib, director of the North Dakota Trade Office, credits the increase to the low value of the dollar, and the state's pro-active efforts.
"We're in there taking advantage of it. We've been in there proactively looking at these markets and trying to take advantage of that to the best degree,"Geib said. "We've had very significant success in terms of identifying the markets."
The overseas ag-equipment markets are booming, Geib said, along with aviation and crops. She said the state is in a unique position with its diverse industries:"We've got oil, we've got some interesting manufacturing niches,"she said. "If you looked around the world, you would see that these countries that are buying this equipment are usually companies that are developing their ag economies."
Geib and Cherie Harms with the NDTOleave today on a trade mission to Peru and Colombia, to take advantage of recent trade agreements there, and to match North Dakota producers with South American markets and buyers.
The office has gone on five missions in the last year and a half; Geib attributes a lot of their success to putting North Dakota's producers and sellers face-to-face with international buyers.
(Reach reporter Crystal R. Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@;bismarcktribune.com.)
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