Top US Imports & Exports with Colombia in 2008

Food Oils & Wheat Among Fastest-Growing American Shipments

Mar 17, 2009 Daniel Workman

Colombia continued to grow energy exports including crude oil and coal last year, while Colombian importers focused on US raw resources, industrial machinery and food.

With a population of 45 million, Colombia is the second-largest South American country trailing only Brazil.

Colombia imported US$11.4 billion worth of commodities from America in 2008 – a 33.7% gain from 2007 and up 153.9% since 2004. Colombian exports to America gained 38.8% last year to $13.1 billion, an 80.4% increase from the 2004 amount.

Overall, the U.S. experienced a $1.7 billion trade deficit with Colombia last year. That represents an 88.9% increase from the $875.9 million deficit in 2007. However, the 2008 statistic marks a 39.9% improvement from the $2.8-billion deficit in 2004.

Top American Exports to Colombia

Below are the top ten goods that Colombia imported from the USA in 2008.

  1. Organic chemicals … US$953.1 million, up 8.6% from 2007 (8.3% of US-source imports)
  2. Fuel oil … $795.9 million, up 410.5% (7%)
  3. Corn … $690.3 million, up 23.8% (6%)
  4. Drilling & oilfield equipment … $337.9 million, up 53.3% (4.5%)
  5. Plastic materials … $455.2 million, up 9% (4%)
  6. Telecommunications equipment … $451.3 million, up 41.1% (3.9%)
  7. Computers … $412.5 million, up 23.7% (3.6%)
  8. Materials handling equipment … $409.8 million, up 71.9% (3.6%)
  9. Computer accessories … $383.4 million, up 5% (3.4%)
  10. Excavating machinery… $371.6 million, up 55.1% (3.2%).

Fastest-Growing American Exports to Colombia

The following are 10 of the fastest-growing U.S. imports into Colombia last year. Only goods valued at $50 million or more were selected for this list.

  1. Oilseeds & food oils … US$72.7 million, up 804.4% from 2007
  2. Fuel oil … $795.9 million, up 410.5%
  3. Iron & steel mill products … $105.9 million, up 220%
  4. Other petroleum products … $228.3 million, up 91.9%
  5. Materials handling equipment … $409.8 million, up 71.9%
  6. Industrial engines … $203.6 million, up 65.6%
  7. Laboratory testing instruments … $56.3 million, up 59.9%
  8. Wheat … $331.1 million, up 57.8%
  9. Excavating machinery … $371.6 million, up 55.1%
  10. Animal feeds … $133.4 million, up 54.2%.

Colombia’s Top Exports to America

The top 10 commodities that the U.S. imported from Colombia in 2008 are listed below.

  1. Crude oil … US$5.9 billion, up 66.2% from 2007 (45% of Colombian exports to USA)
  2. Coal … $1.7 billion, up 29% (12.7%)
  3. Green coffee … $805 million, up 18.8% (6.1%)
  4. Fuel oil … $628.7 million, up 76% (4.8%)
  5. Nursery stock, cut flowers & Christmas trees … $515.6 million, down 0.7% (3.9%)
  6. Non-monetary gold … $513.2 million, up 53.6% (3.3%)
  7. Fruits & preparations like frozen juices … $229.1 million, up 29.9% (1.7%)
  8. Other petroleum products … $189.1 million, up 185.4% (1.44%)
  9. Cotton apparel & household goods … $188.2 million, down 13.9% (1.43%)
  10. Drilling & oilfield equipment … $177.5 million, up 64.8% (1.36%).

Fastest-Growing Colombian Exports to America

Below are the leading growth exports into the U.S. from Colombia in 2008. A minimum value of $50 million per commodity was applied.

  1. Other petroleum products … US$189.1 million, up 185.4% from 2007
  2. Unmanufactured steelmaking & ferroalloying materials … $133.3 million, up 150.2%
  3. Crude oil … $357.9 million, up 125.2%
  4. Other precious metals … $57.5 million, up 99.4%
  5. Crude oil … $5.9 billion, up 66.2%
  6. Drilling & oilfield equipment … $177.5 million, up 64.8%
  7. Non-monetary gold … $513.2 million, up 53.6%
  8. Soft beverages & processed coffee … $81.2 million, up 39.2%
  9. Fruits & preparations like frozen juices … $229.1 million, up 29.9%
  10. Coal … $1.7 billion, up 29%.

Sources

This analysis is based on latest statistics from the US Census Bureau - Foreign Trade Statistics as of the date of article publication.

The copyright of the article Top US Imports & Exports with Colombia in 2008 in International Trade is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Top US Imports & Exports with Colombia in 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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