PA Exports Rise

The Department of Community and Economic Development announced today the value of Pennsylvania's exports increased by about 20 percent last year, leaping to around $32 billion. That represents almost 7% of the state's Gross Domestic Product. Deputy Secretary for International Business Relations Wilfred Muskens says Pennsylvania's fleet of international offices is the most extensive in the nation. This makes it easier for the state to work with small local companies to help them manage higher demand for their products and retain manufacturing jobs. Among the most popular exported goods are steel, coal, food products, plastics and consumer goods. The state's top customers have traditionally been Canada and Mexico, but lately overseas markets such as China, India and Brazil have been growing more rapidly.