Rhode Island high-tech exports slip 2.8 percent, rank No. 42 in the U.S.

Rhode Island high-tech exports slip 2.8 percent, rank No. 42 in the U.S.

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island high-tech exports fell 2.8 percent in 2009 from a year earlier, according to the fourth annual “Trade in the Cyberstates” report released by the TechAmerica Foundation on Tuesday.

The Ocean State ranked No. 42 among the 52 “cyberstates” – including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia – for the volume of its high-tech exports and 20th for its tech export concentration.

Only four cyberstates saw tech export growth between 2009 and 2008: Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas and Wyoming, said TechAmerica, citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The foundation said it hopes to provide a comprehensive picture of the importance of trade to the United States and the global economy with the report.

Nevertheless, Rhode Island’s relatively small decrease in tech exports put it in sixth place for percentage change in the nation. Nevada, the state with the least amount of decrease, ranked fifth with 1.9 percent shrinkage.

“In these tough economic times, the temptation exists to raise protectionist barriers to trade and to resist entering new trade agreements. This would have profoundly adverse consequences for the U.S. economy,” said Phillip J. Bond, chairman, and Matthew F. Kazmierczak, senior vice president, of the TechAmerica Foundation in a statement.

“Protectionist policies would … lead to prolonged economic stagnation while strengthening our economic rivals aboard who are pursuing their own trade agreements,” said the TechAmerica leaders, noting that three bilateral Free Trade Agreements are pending with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

In 2009, U.S. high-tech exports – the single largest merchandise export sector – dropped 15.7 percent from a year earlier.

California was the leading high-tech export state with $41.3 billion in exports in 2009, followed by Texas with $35.8 billion.

Massachusetts continued to be one of the “top cyberstates” at No. 4 for high-tech exports in 2009 but slipped to $7.9 billion, compared with $9.5 billion in 2008.

The Ocean State’s high-tech exports accounted for $213 million, or 14 percent, of its total $1.5 billion exports.

Nevertheless, when looking at a broader picture, Rhode Island’s high-tech exports have slumped 28.5 percent from 2003 to 2009 while the U.S. has increased its high-tech exports 13.2 percent.

Rhode Island saw declines in three of five high-tech sectors: electronic components, industrial electronics, and computers and peripheral equipment. Communications equipment grew to $23 million from $20 million and electromedical equipment increased to $12 million from $11 million.

The Ocean State’s largest high-tech trading partners in 2009 were Canada, which imported $22.9 million from the state, and the Netherlands, which imported $16.9 million.

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