SERVICE

Exports

2011 is off to a roaring start for British Columbia’s exporters and manufacturers as January’s domestic exports topped more than $2.4 billion, an increase of more than $410 million or nearly 21 per cent compared with January 2010.

Leading the way were exports of B.C.’s forestry products, up by 21 per cent over January 2010 to total $691 million. Increases were also recorded in exports of energy products, up by 10 per cent; industrial goods, up by 58 per cent; and agricultural and fishing products, up by nearly 11 per cent.

Asia again demonstrated its growing importance to B.C.’s economy with domestic exports to the continent worth $977 million for the month, a 37 per cent increase compared with January 2010. Exports to China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan were all up by more than 20 percent with China recording a 79 per cent year-over-year gain.

B.C.’s domestic exports to the United States in January were worth $1.09 billion, a three per cent increase over one year ago.

Strong gains were also recorded to European countries, led by deliveries to the United Kingdom and Germany, along with Mexico.

Overall, Canadian domestic exports were worth $34.1 billion for the month, a 12 per cent increase compared with January 2010. In 2010, domestic exports from British Columbia were worth $28.7 billion, a near 15 per cent increase over the previous year. Forty-one per cent of B.C.’s exports in 2010 were shipped to Asia, the highest percentage of any Canadian province.