“The previous high for the value of goods exports in a calendar year was 2014,” international statistics manager Tehseen Islam said. “The previous high for imports was 2015.”

Annual exports were valued at $53.7 billion for the year ended December 2017, up $5.2 billion (11 percent) from 2016. Dairy products led the rise, up $2.8 billion to $14.0 billion. Meat rose $706 million to $6.6 billion. Logs, wood, and wood articles rose $546 million to $4.7 billion.

Imports for the December 2017 year were up $4.9 billion, to $56.5 billion. Mechanical machinery and equipment (such as aircraft parts and computers) rose $1.3 billion to $8.2 billion. Vehicles, parts, and accessories (mainly cars, trucks, and vans) rose $1.2 billion to $8.9 billion.

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