Nicknamed “The Sunflower State” and “The Wheat State” located in America’s Midwestern region, Kansas shipped US$14 billion worth of products around the world in 2022.

That dollar amount results from a 19.5% increase from $11.7 billion four years earlier in 2019.

Year over year, the overall value of Kansan exported goods improved by 11.4% compared to $12.54 billion for 2021.

Kansas ranks among America’s 35 biggest exporters by state behind front- behind front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York State and Illinois. The value of Kansas’ exports equals 0.7% of the value for United States’ overall exported products for 2022.

Based on research from Statista, Kansas’ exported products represent 8.5% of the state’s total economic output or real Gross Domestic Product in 2022 ($164.9 billion).

Given Kansas’ population of 2.94 million people, its total $14 billion in 2022 exports translates to roughly $4,800 for every resident in the Sunflower State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $4,300 per capita in 2021.

Kansas’ unemployment rate was 2.9% at the end of March 2023, up from 2.4% in February 2022 per YCharts.

Kansas’ Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Kansas global shipments during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Kansas.

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

1. Civilian aircraft including engines, other parts: US$2.3 billion (16.8% of Kansas’ total exports)
2. Fresh or chilled beef (boneless): $1 billion (7.2%)
3. Wheat, meslin: $711.7 million (5.1%)
4. Soya beans: $668.1 million (4.8%)
5. Fresh or chilled beef (boneless): $556.7 million (4%)
6. Corn: $536.1 million (3.8%)
7. Dog or cat food for retail: $275.3 million (2%)
8. Denatured spirits such as ethyl alcohol: $219.6 million (1.6%)
9. Machines to receive/convert/transmit voice, image, data: $217.6 million (1.6%)
10. Frozen beef (bone-in): $170.9 million (1.2%)

Kansas’ top 10 exports accounted for almost half (48%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Frozen beef with bones posted the strongest growth among Kansas’ top 10 export categories, up by 66.9% from 2021 to 2022.

In second place for improving export sales was wheat and meslin which rose 42.2%. Kansas’ shipments of machines used to receive, convert and transmit voice, image or data appreciated by 39.6% compared to 2021, ahead of exported dog or cat food for retail sale (up 28.3%).

The leading year-over-year decliner among Kansas’ top 10 export products was corn exported from Kansas via an -8.2% reduction from 2021.

More Key Facts about Kansas’ International Trade

Kansas generated an overall US$526.7 million trade surplus exporting and importing products during 2022. That dollar amount reflects a 30% expansion from $405.1 million in black ink for 2021.

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 Kansas’ top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2022.

1. Miscellaneous aircraft parts: US$571.7 billion (4.3% of Kansas’ total imports)
2. Machines to receive/convert/transmit voice, image, data: $389.1 million (2.9%)
3. Turbo-jets: $341.4 million (2.5%)
4. Mechanical front-end shovel loaders: $287.5 million (2.1%)
5. Radio navigational instruments: $270.8 million (2%)
6. Wheat gluten: $230.9 million (1.7%)
7. Tractors: $190.5 million (1.4%)
8. Taps, valves and similar appliances: $167.3 million (1.2%)
9. Miscellaneous navigational instruments: $165.8 million (1.2%)
10. Mechanical excavators, shovels: $160.8 million (1.2%)

Kansas has negative net exports in the international trade of aircraft parts, turbo-jets and radio navigational aids. In turn, these cashflows indicate Kansas’ competitive advantages under these product categories.

Kansas’ Major Trade Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased almost three-quarters (72%) worth of the total value of products exported from Kansas during 2022.

1. Mexico: US$3.1 billion (22.4% of Kansas’ total exports)
2. Canada: $2.6 million (18.9%)
3. Japan: $1 million (7.3%)
4. mainland China: $721.8 million (5.2%)
5. South Korea: $606 million (4.3%)
6. Germany: $528.7 million (3.8%)
7. Singapore: $383.4 million (2.7%)
8. Australia: $350.8 million (2.5%)
9. Brazil: $344.1 million (2.5%)
10. United Kingdom: $334.6 million (2.4%)

Kansas’ top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) bought over two-fifths (41.3%) of the overall value of exported goods from the Sunflower State.

In comparison, major trade partners in Asia (Japan, mainland China, South Korea and Singapore) imported 19.6% worth of Kansas’ total export sales for 2022.

Kansasan Export Companies

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

• Ferrellgas Partners (propane)
• Lansing Trade Group (grains, commodities trading, ethanol)
• Seaboard Corp (agribusiness, electrical power, transportation)
• Spirit AeroSystems Holdings (aerospace/defense industry goods)
• Westar Energy (electricity)
• YRC Worldwide (freight shipping)

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

Kansas’ capital is Topeka, a city nicknamed “T-Town” and “Top City”.

See also North Dakota’s Top 10 Exports, Montana’s Top 10 Exports, Wisconsin’s Top 10 Exports, Arizona’s Top 10 Exports and Vermont’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Department of Numbers, Kansas GDP (dollars shown in real terms). Accessed on May 12, 2023

FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Forbes, 2019 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 12, 2023

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 12, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 12, 2023

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Kansas. Accessed on May 12, 2023

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Kansas. Accessed on May 12, 2023

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Wikipedia, Kansas. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Wikipedia, List of Kansas Companies. Accessed on May 12, 2023

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 12, 2023

World’s Capital Cities, Capital Facts for Topeka, United States. Accessed on May 12, 2023

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 12, 2023