Mexico No. 3 Purchaser of California Goods

The turnaround in the Mexican economy led to purchases of $9.05 billion worth of California goods in 1996, pushing it ahead of Korea to become the state’s No. 3 export market, according to preliminary figures released by the state Trade and Commerce Agency. Korea’s slippage also reflected a slowdown in its economy, as its debt-laden conglomerates struggled to overcome labor problems and competition from lower-cost competitors. Overall, California exports for 1996 broke the $100-billion mark last year, with sales of $104.5 billion, up from $96.6 billion the previous year. Japan, with $18.9 billion in sales, and Canada, with $11.1 billion in sales, remained in the No. 1 and No. 2 positions. California’s top exports for 1996 were electronic goods, industrial machinery, specialized instruments, transportation equipment and agricultural products.