International Exports

+32

Exports rose in 2021

Favorable movement since the last available data

Benchmark: Maine’s international exports will grow at a pace faster than U.S. international exports.

Overview Fig. A

Overview

Sales to customers in other states and countries provide valuable opportunities for Maine businesses. According to one estimate, exports account for about 1.6% of Maine businesses’ total sales (below the national rate of 3.4%). Sales made within Maine to international customers, such as those to foreign tourists and students, provide equivalent injections into the state’s economy, but are not tracked.

2020’s global pandemic reduced trade worldwide, but it rebounded in 2021. Maine exports jumped 32%, exceeding the 23% national growth rate and reaching $3.1 billion – their highest level since 2011.

Export gains were widespread across a range of Maine industries. Among Maine’s top traded products, sales of seafood, paper, and industrial machinery all rose 49% or more. Canada remains Maine’s leading trade partner, with $1.6 billion in exports in 2021, followed by China, El Salvador, Malaysia, and the Netherlands.

 

Fig. A

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International Exports (Rolling Three-Year Average)

Maine International Trade Center, Camoin Associates