New Mexico exports increase to $1.5 billion

New Mexico Business Weekly - The International Trade Administration’s latest export data shows New Mexico exports increased 63 percent in the first half of 2012 to $1.5 billion. The figure was $944 million during the same period in 2011. The national average in export percentage growth was 7 percent, according to the data. “Exports are an increasingly important part of New Mexico’s economic recovery as local businesses both big and small start to look beyond our borders to increase their customer base,” Francisco Sánchez, undersecretary of commerce for International Trade said in a news release. New Mexico’s first half 2012 merchandise export sales outpaced the 2011 figures for Israel (up 606 percent), Saudi Arabia (224 percent), Chile (126 percent), Brazil (125 percent) and France (72 percent). Key merchandise export categories include computer and electronic products, fabricated metal products, machinery manufactures, food and kindred products and transportation equipment. Read More News New Mexico

New Mexico exports increase to $1.5 billion