Continued decreases in exports from Georgia to parts of Asia during the first half of the year were offset by increases in other areas, especially the Americas and Europe, the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (GDITT) announced last week.
From January to June, total Georgia exports increased by $250 million, from $7.18 billion to $7.43 billion, compared with the same period in 1997 — an increase of 3.3%.
Carlos Martel, GDITT’s deputy commissioner for international trade, told GlobalFax that he was particularly pleased by the increases in exports from the state’s high-tech sector including electronic and electrical goods as well as instrumentation products.
The largest gains were in Canada, where a 10.8% positive change for a total of $1.6 billion, and in Mexico with a 26.4% change for a total of $470 million. The goods exported to these countries included a large range of sectors such as transportation equipment, textile products, wood products and lumber as well as the high-tech products.
Exports also increased to France and Spain by 20.8% to $162 million and by 86.6% to $153 million, respectively, with a notable jump in high-tech products.
Despite Japan’s economic problems, Georgia’s exports there rose $51 million to $751 million. Japan continues to be Georgia’s second largest export market, following Canada.
For more information, call Rebecca Thompson at (404) 651-8578.