Nicknamed “The Natural State” and previously “The Bear State” located in America’s southeastern region, Arkansas shipped US$6.45 billion worth of exported products around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount results from a 24.2% upturn from $5.2 billion four year earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of Arkansan exports rose 9.2% compared to $5.9 billion during 2022.

Arkansas ranks as America’s 39th biggest exporter by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York state and Illinois. The value of Arkansas’ exports equals 0.3% of United States’ overall exported products for 2023.

Based on research from IBIS World, exported products from Arkansas represent 5.1% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product in 2023 ($127.3 billion).

Given Arkansas’ population of 3.063 million people, its total $6.45 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $2,100 for every resident in the Natural State. That dollar metric eclipses the average $1,950 per capita one year earlier in 2022.

Arkansas’ unemployment rate was 3.5% at the end of March 2024, up from 2.8% one year prior per YCharts.

Top 10 Exports from Arkansas

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Arkansas global shipments during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Arkansas.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: US$846.2 million (13.1% of Arkansas’ total exports)
2. Bombs, grenades, mines, missiles: $515.2 million (8%)
3. Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $458.4 million (7.1%)
4. Chicken eggs: $218.5 million (3.4%)
5. Chemical woodpult: $188.8 million (2.9%)
6. Milled rice: $172.8 million (2.7%)
7. Self-propelled graders, levelers: $165.1 million (2.6%)
8. Fresh or chilled poultry (cuts, offal): $153.8 million (2.4%)
9. Paper, paperboard made with plastic: $130.7 million (2%)
10. Styrene polymers: $105.6 million (1.6%)

Arkansas’ top 10 exports accounted for 45.8% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Chemical woodpulp represents the fastest grower among the state’s top 10 export categories, accelerating by 1,761% from 2022 to 2023.

In second place for improving export sales for Arkansas was the bombs, grenades, mines and missiles product category (up 178.5%) ahead of self-propelled graders and levelers (up 50.6%) then uncarded and uncombed cotton (up 32.6%).

The severest decliners among Arkansas’ top 10 exports were styrene polymers (down -27.2% from 2022) and milled rice (down -22%).

More Key Facts about Arkansan International Trade

Arkansas incurred an overall -US$385.2 million deficit exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount results from a -76.7% year-over-year decrease from -$1.7 billion in red ink for 2022.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Below are Arkansas’ top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2023.

1. Large aircraft: US$414.8 million (6.1% of Arkansas’ total imports)
2. Medium-size aircraft: $361 million (5.3%)
3. Semi-trailer road tractors (diesel engine): $170.6 million (2.5%)
4. Insulated electric conductors: $130.4 million (1.9%)
5. Parts of machinery with individual functions: $112.6 million (1.6%)
6. Bombs, grenades, mines, missiles: $101.3 million (1.5%)
7. Photovoltaic solar modules, panels: $84.3 million (1.2%)
8. Parts of turbojets, turboprollers: $73.7 million (1.1%)
9. Miscellaneous weapons excluding side-arms: $71.1 million (1%)
10. Machinery with individual functions: $70.9 million (1%)

Arkansas has negative net exports in the international trade of aircraft and road tractors for semi-trailers. In turn, these cashflows indicate Arkansas’ competitive disadvantages under pertinent product categories.

Major Arkansan Trading Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over two-thirds (69.1%) worth of the total value of products exported from Arkansas during 2023.

1. Canada: US$1.63 billion (25.3% of Arkansas’ total exports)
2. Mexico: $1.1 billion (17.1%)
3. Japan: $393.9 million (6.1%)
4. mainland China: $346 million (5.4%)
5. France: $249.6 million (3.9%)
6. United Kingdom: $218.7 million (3.4%)
7. Australia: $142.2 million (2.2%)
8. Indonesia: $133.2 million (2.1%)
9. Netherlands: $118.1 million (1.8%)
10. Italy: $117.1 million (1.8%)

Arkansas’ top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) bought over two-fifths (42.4%) of the overall value of exported goods from the Natural State.

In contrast, leading Arkansan trade partners in Europe (France, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Italy) purchased 10.9% worth.

Another 13.5% sold to leading importers in Asia (Japan, mainland China and Indonesia).

Arkansan Export Companies

Eight Arkansas-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• ArcBest Corp (freight forwarding, transport logistics)
• J.B. Hunt (trucking, transport services)
• Murphy Oil Corp (petroleum, natural gas)
• Tyson Foods (food processing, marketing)
• Windstream (voice/data network communications)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related products or services which each business sells.
 

Arkansas’ capital is Little Rock, a city nicknamed “LR”, “Rock Town” and “The Rock”.

See also Ohio’s Top 10 Exports, Alaska’s Top 10 Exports, Oregon’s Top 10 Exports, Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports and Washington State’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Forbes, 2020 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 3, 2024

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2020 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 3, 2024

IBIS World, Arkansas Economic Overview (GDP, population). Accessed on May 3, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 3, 2024

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Arkansas. Accessed on May 3, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Arkansas. Accessed on May 3, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Wikipedia, Arkansas. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Wikipedia, List of Arkansas Companies. Accessed on May 3, 2024

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 3, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 3, 2024