Oil, grain prices spike Louisiana export values NEW ORLEANS (AP) (wrkf) - The World Trade Center of New Orleans says record prices for oil and grain pushed the value of Louisiana's worldwide exports to $22 billion over the first six months of 2008.

That represented a 64.4 percent increase over exports that moved through the state during the first half of 2007.

Agricultural products, petroleum and coal, chemicals, processed foods and machinery all of which registered sharp price increases have been the top five export segments for the first half of the year.

The report says Louisiana's main export markets were Mexico, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Canada and Egypt. The trade center used data from the World Institute of Strategic Economic Research, a foreign trade database. © Copyright 2009, wrkf