Nicknamed “The Natural State” and previously “The Bear State” located in America’s southeastern region, Arkansas shipped US$6.64 billion worth of exported products around the globe in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a 14.4% increase from $5.8 billion four year earlier in 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of Arkansan exports fell by -4.1% compared to $6.93 billion during 2024.

Arkansas ranks as America’s 41st biggest exporter by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, New York state, Louisiana, Illinois and Florida. The value of Arkansas’ exports equals 0.3% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2025, the same percentage as one year earlier.

Products exported from Arkansas represent 3.3% of the state’s total economic output or nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2025 ($198.4 billion), down from 3.7% for 2024.

Given Arkansas’ population of 3.11 million people, its total US$6.64 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $2,150 for every resident in the Natural State. That dollar metric lags the average $2,250 per capita one year earlier in 2024.

Arkansas’ unemployment rate was 4.4% at the end of February 2026, up from 3.8% one year prior per YCharts.

Top 10 Exports from Arkansas

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Arkansas global shipments during 2025. 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, engines or other aircraft parts: US$1.4 billion (21.8% of total Arkansan exports)
2. Chemical woodpulp: $331.8 million (5%)
3. Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $264.2 million (4%)
4. Chicken eggs: $217.6 million (3.3%)
5. Fresh or chilled poultry (cuts, offal): $170.9 million (2.6%)
6. Milled rice: $159.3 million (2.4%)
7. Fresh or chilled bone-in pork, hams: $143.5 million (2.2%)
8. Frozen poultry (cuts, offal): $121 million (1.8%)
9. Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $99.8 million (1.5%)
10. Paper, paperboard made with plastic: $98.7 million (1.5%)

Arkansas’ top 10 exports accounted for 46% of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Fresh or chilled bone-in pork and hams represent the fastest grower among the state’s top 10 export categories, accelerating by 114.5% from 2024 to 2025.

In second place for improving export sales for Arkansas was the civilian aircraft fully assembled plus aircraft engines or other parts product category (up 52.2%) ahead of chemical woodpulp (up 34.4%) then uncarded and uncombed cotton (up 26.6%).

Double-digit percentage decliners among Arkansas’ top 10 exports was paper including paperboard made with plastic (down -26.8% from 2024), milled rice (down -21.3%) and cuts or offal from fresh or chilled poultry (down -12.1%).

More Key Facts about Arkansan International Trade

Arkansas incurred an overall -US$28.1 million deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount results from a -88.7% year-over-year slimming from -$248 million in red ink for 2024.

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 2025.

1. Larger aircraft: US$499.5 million (7.5% of total Arkansan imports)
2. Medium-size aircraft: $299.9 million (4.5%)
3. Bombs, grenades, mines, missiles: $161.7 million (2.4%)
4. Insulated electric conductors: $157.1 million (2.4%)
5. Semi-trailer road tractors (diesel engine): $122.8 million (1.8%)
6. Vehicle suspension shock absorbers: $115.5 million (1.7%)
7. Hand tools with electric motor: $101.7 million (1.5%)
8. Unwrought, unalloyed zinc: $99.1 million (1.5%)
9. Higher-voltage electric conductors: $76.9 million (1.2%)
10. Concentrated alloyed zinc: $76.1 million (1.1%)

Arkansas has negative net exports in the international trade of larger or medium-size aircraft and road tractors for semi-trailers powered by diesel engine. 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 approaching three-quarters (72%) worth of the total value of products exported from Arkansas during 2025.

1. Mexico: US$1.5 billion (22.5% of total Arkansan exports)
2. Canada: $1.3 billion (19.5%)
3. France: $936.7 million (14.1%)
4. United Kingdom: $181.8 million (2.7%)
5. mainland China: $170.1 million (2.6%)
6. India: $159.1 million (2.4%)
7. Germany: $148.5 million (2.2%)
8. Brazil: $144.4 million (2.2%)
9. Switzerland: $128 million (1.9%)
10. Israel: $125.7 million (1.9%)

Arkansas’ top trade partners in North America (Mexico and Canada) bought over two-fifths (42%) of the overall value of exported goods from the Natural State.

In contrast, leading Arkansan trade partners in Europe (France, United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland) purchased 21% worth.

Another 5% sold to leading importers in Asia (mainland China and India).

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 5, 2026

Forbes, 2020 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 5, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2020 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 5, 2026

IBIS World, Arkansas Economic Overview (GDP, population). Accessed on May 5, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 5, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 5, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on May 5, 2026

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Arkansas. Accessed on May 5, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 5, 2026

Wikipedia, Arkansas. Accessed on May 5, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Arkansas Companies. Accessed on May 5, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 5, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 5, 2026