US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico up 6.6pc in June

THE value of surface trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, increased 6.6 per cent in June year on year to US$82.6 billion.

Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the June total (the latest month that figures are available) was $61.0 billion, up 11 per cent from June 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the US Department of Transportation.

Over the past decade, the value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico increased by 79 per cent, with the value of exports rising by 90.8 per cent, outstripping the increase recorded by imports at 69.7 per cent.

In June, 87.7 per cent of US trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved by land, 8.3 per cent moved by vessel, and four per cent moved by air.

On a month-by-month basis, the value of US surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico decreased 1.4 per cent in June from May.

A statement from BTS said that US trade by surface transportation with Mexico has increased at a faster pace than trade with Canada. US-to-Canada and to Mexico surface trade in June both increased, with US-to-Canada trade rising five per cent year on year to $48.4 billion, and US-to-Mexico trade up 8.8 per cent compared to the previous year's level of $34.2 billion.

In June, Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada, at $6.5 billion, a 4.5 per cent increase from June 2011. Of the top 10 states by value, California had the largest percentage increase over June 2011, at 55.1 per cent. The largest commodity that is traded between California and Canada, vehicles, increased 171.6 per cent year on year to $1.66 billion.

The top commodity category transported between the US and Canada by surface modes of transportation in June was vehicles, valued at $9.9 billion.

Texas continued to lead all states in surface trade with Mexico at $12.4 billion, an 11 per cent increase from June 2011. Of the top 10 states by value, Tennessee had the biggest percentage increase of 21.1 per cent, primarily because of a 31 per cent increase from June 2011 in trade in computer related machinery. The top commodity category transported between the US and Mexico by surface modes of transportation in June was electrical machinery with $7 billion in trade.