Virginia agricultural exports reach record

Published March 8, 2013 by Jessica Sabbath

Virginia reported a record high of $2.61 billion in agricultural exports, beating its 2011 record by 12 percent.

Gov. Bob McDonnell made the announcement during the Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade in Richmond on Thursday.

Last year, the commonwealth reported exports worth more than $2.35 billion in agricultural products.

Virginia’s top exports in 2012 were soybeans, soybean meal, lumber, logs and wood products, leaf tobacco, soybean oil; wheat, corn, barley and other grains; pork; animal feed; processed foods and beverages, including wine; animal fats and oils; wood pellets; cotton, seafood, and raw peanuts.

Virginia’s top export market was China, worth more than $638 million in 2012, up from $304 million in 2011. Exports to China were largely driven by soybean and grain shipments. Canada was the second largest export market at $205 million and Morocco, which was Virginia’s top export market in 2011, is now third at $139 million.