Export records set by New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles

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Export records set by New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles

BY TED GRIGGS| TGRIGGS@THEADVOCATE.COM

Goods exported from Louisiana supported 282,540 jobs in 2013, and the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lake Charles metropolitan areas ranked among the country’s top 50 exporters.

All three of the state’s major port cities reported record exports in 2013 and are among 26 metro area reaching record export levels, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

The New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner metro area ranked No. 8 with $30 billion in goods exports, an increase of 23.3 percent from a year ago. The New Orleans area accounted for 65 percent of the state’s merchandise exports and was one of 10 metropolitan areas nationally exceeding $25 billion in goods exports last year.

Meanwhile, Baton Rouge ranked No. 45, increasing exports 8 percent to $6.3 billion. Lake Charles ranked No. 49 after boosting exports by 19.2 percent to $5.7 billion.

Key merchandise export categories for Louisiana included petroleum and coal products; agricultural products; chemicals; food and kindred products; and machinery, except electrical. China, Mexico, Canada, Japan and Singapore were the leading destinations for Louisiana exports.

President Barack Obama launched the National Export Initiative in 2010. The program helps firms and farmers overcome the hurdles in entering new markets and also offers financing assistance.

The program has helped the United States generate four consecutive years of record exports, capped by 2013’s $2.3 trillion total, according to the Commerce Department. Export goods supported 11.3 million jobs nationwide.

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