California exports fell in February, port dispute a factor

California exports dipped nearly 9 percent in February, an economic consultant said Thursday.

The state’s merchandise exports totaled $12.55 billion in February, down 8.8 percent from a year earlier, according to a report from Beacon Economics consulting in Los Angeles. Beacon based its findings on foreign trade data released by the U.S. Commerce Department.

Jock O’Connell, a Beacon consultant in Sacramento, said exports were depressed by three factors: the strong U.S. dollar, a tepid international economy and the “logistical bottleneck” that remains following the lengthy labor dispute at West Coast ports. The strong dollar makes U.S. goods more expensive overseas.

The labor dispute “aggravated already congested conditions at West Coast seaports,” O’Connell said in an email. It was settled Feb. 20 but port officials are still struggling to clear a backlog of cargo, he said.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 10:02 AM with the headline "California exports fell in February, port dispute a factor."