Indiana exports rose to a record $34.4 billion in 2012 while growing at a rate exceeding the Midwest’s and the nation’s.

Indiana exports grew by 6.6 percent in 2012, up from $32.2 billion in 2011, said Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, which released its annual export report Thursday. The report was produced by the Indiana Business Research Center.

Midwestern exports increased by 6.1 percent. The national rate of growth was 4.4 percent.

Despite the record amount, the rate of export growth has fallen off dramatically both in Indiana and nationally.

Exports from Indiana grew 25.6 percent in 2010 and 12.3 percent in 2011. The nation experienced growth rates of  21 percent in 2010 and 15.8 percent in 2011.

"Indiana recovered quickly from the adverse effects of the Great Recession, but the economic turmoil of the eurozone countries and slow recovery worldwide reduced the acceleration in exports," wrote Tanya Hall, an economic research analyst at the research center and co-author of the report.

Canada remains the largest market for Indiana, receiving more than 35 percent, or $11.9 billion, of Indiana’s exports. Mexico ranks second at $3.9 billion, or about 12 percent.

The state’s top export was vehicles and parts ($7.9 billion), followed by pharmaceutical products ($6 billion) and industrial machinery ($5.5 billion).
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