How does Virginia participate in global trade?
From the program book for “Tectonic Shifts in Global Trade” with Baroness Dambisa Moyo on November 21, 2026.
Virginia’s Top Exports
Reported by Virginia Economic Development Partnership for January – June 2026
| Export Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bituminous coal Hampton Roads is the nation’s largest export hub for steelmaking coal. | $1B |
| Integrated circuits Micron Technology’s Manassas plant is the only facility in the United States currently producing memory chips, a type of integrated circuit. | $440M |
| Soybeans Perdue AgriBusiness’s export terminal in Chesapeake handles grain from more than 1,300 Virginia farmers. | $340M |
| Corn Virginia corn exports have risen 402% since 2025. Spain and Morocco were top destinations, both receiving more than 15 million bushels. | $200M |
| Truck tractors Volvo’s New River Valley plant builds every Volvo truck sold in North America. | $190M |
| Aluminum scrap | $180M |
| Aircraft parts | $180M |
| Civil aircraft & engines | $180M |
| Polyamides AdvanSix’s Chesterfield County plant is one of the largest U.S. producers of nylon 6 resin, used in carpet, auto parts, and food packaging. | $160M |
| Nonwoven textiles Last year, Israel-based Shalag opened a plant in Mecklenburg County that makes materials for diapers, air filters, and cleaning wipes. | $160M |
| TOTAL EXPORTS | $9.9B |
| Export Destination | Value | Change from 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | $1.5B | -2% |
| Mexico | $692M | +2% |
| South Korea | $552M | +37% |
| India | $483M | -2% |
| Germany | $449M | +4% |
Virginia’s Top Imports
Reported by Virginia Economic Development Partnership for January – June 2026
| Import Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mechanical applicances The servers and cooling systems that power Virginia’s 400+ data centers fall into this category and are largely imported from Mexico and Taiwan. | $11.5B |
| Electrical machinery | $2.7B |
| Aircraft | $2.1B |
| Special classification provisions | $1.9B |
| Vehicles | $690M |
| Plastics | $720M |
| Furniture | $660M |
| Scientific instruments | $540M |
| Steel | $460M |
| Textiles | $270M |
| TOTAL IMPORTS | $27.8B |
| Import Source | Value | Change from 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $6.8B | +285% |
| Taiwan | $2.2B | +518% |
| Canada | $1.9B | +12% |
| China | $1.7B | -35% |
| Germany | $1.3B | -4% |
Continue the conversation
LEGO plans to open a $1 billion factory in Chesterfield County and a 2 million-square-foot distribution center in Prince George County in 2027. How could these facilities change what Virginia imports and exports?
