Maine’s exports to other nations were up by almost 6 percent in 2016, compared with the overall U.S. export rate, which dropped by 3 percent.
Maine International Trade Center President Janine Cary says the numbers were driven by a 50 percent increase in airplane part exports and a 30 percent pop in seafood exports, a trend she expects to continue.
“We’ve got a lot targeted toward that for 2017 already. A fairly large delegation for the Boston seafood show, where we have a lot of international buyers coming in for that. We’ve got a good delegation going to the Brussels seafood show. We’ve got a group going to the Fancy Food Show on the West Coast, which even though it’s a domestic show it has a lot of international buyers that come in,” she says.
The state’s overall export picture improved despite continued declines in sales of wood and paper products. Once all the numbers are in, the state’s 2016 exports will near $3 billion in value.
Source: Mainepublic.org
