The following export products represent the highest dollar value in California global shipments during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from California.

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

1. Aircraft including engines, parts: $7.3 billion (4.1% of California’s exports)
2. Diamonds (unmounted): $5.5 billion (3.1%)
3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $4.6 billion (2.6%)
4. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $4.6 billion (2.6%)
5. Integrated circuits (excluding processors/controllers): $3.4 billion (1.9%)
6. Shelled almonds: $3.3 billion (1.9%)
7. Computer parts and accessories: $3.2 billion (1.8%)
8. Electric vehicles: $3 billion (1.7%)
9. Miscellaneous petroleum oils: $2.8 billion (1.6%)
10. Semi-conductor machines parts, accessories: $2.6 billion (1.4%)

California’s top 10 exports represent almost a quarter (22.7%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Parts and accessories for semi-conductor machines became the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up by 31.2% from 2017 to 2018.

In second place for improving export sales was computer parts and accessories which rose 27.1%.

Shipments of miscellaneous petroleum oils posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 15.6%, beating the 11.9% year-over-year increase for unmounted diamonds.

Two among California’s top 10 export products declined, namely integrated circuits excluding processors and controllers (down -8.6%) and machinery for making semi-conductors (down -7.6%).

Overall, California incurred a -$262.8 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2018. That dollar amount reflects a -2.2% year-over-year decrease from -$268.6 billion in red ink in 2017.

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 California’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2018.

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $29.8 billion (6.7% of California’s total imports)
2. Crude petroleum oils: $24.3 billion (5.5%)
3. Small portable digital computers: $17.4 billion (3.9%)
4. Cell phones: $13.8 billion (3.1%)
5. Computer parts and accessories: $13 billion (3%)
6. Modems, similar reception/transmission devices: $12.6 billion (2.9%)
7. Large automobiles (piston engine): $9.4 billion (2.1%)
8. Integrated circuits (processors/controllers): $9.1 billion (2.1%)
9. Small automobiles (piston engine): $5.6 billion (1.3%)
10. Solid-state semiconductor storage devices: $4.7 billion (1.1%)

California has highly negative net exports in the international trade of automobiles, small portable digital computers, mobile phones and processors or controllers for integrated circuits. In turn, these cashflows indicate California’s strong competitive disadvantages under these product categories thus highlighting the strong impact of foreign-made goods on California’s global balance sheet.

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over two-thirds (69.3%) worth of the total value of products exported from California during 2018.

1. Mexico $30.7 billion (17.2% of California’s total exports)
2. Canada $17.8 billion (9.9%)
3. China $16.3 billion (9.2%)
4. Japan $13.1 billion (7.3%)
5. South Korea $9.9 billion (5.6%)
6. Hong Kong $9.9 billion (5.6%)
7. Taiwan $6.8 billion (3.8%)
8. Germany $6.6 billion (3.7%)
9. Netherlands $6.4 billion (3.6%)
10. India $6.1 billion (3.4%)

California’s top trade partners in North America, Canada and Mexico, account for over one-quarter (27.2%) of the overall value of exported goods from the state. This compares with more than a third (34.9%) for top Asian countries that consume Californian exports.

California Export Companies

Fifty-three of California-headquartered corporations rank among America’s leading companies showcased in the Fortune 500 listing. Selected examples are listed below, sorted by highest revenues.

• Apple Inc. (computer hardware, software)
• McKesson Corporation (pharmaceuticals, medical technology)
• Chevron Corporation (petroleum, natural gas, petrochemicals)
• Wells Fargo (multinational financial services)
• Alphabet Inc (technology, autonomous cars, software)
• Intel Corporation (microprocessors, chips, mobile phones, flash memories)
• Hewlett-Packard (computer hardware, software)
• Cisco Systems (telecom equipment, networking hardware)
• Oracle (servers, workstations, storage devices, middleware)
• Gilead Sciences (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology products)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related product categories in which each business deals.