Exports of Kansas products were nearly $12.5 billion last year, setting a record despite the nation’s economic slump, the state Department of Commerce reported Thursday.

Exports in 2008 were 22 percent higher than in 2007, when they hit almost $10.3 billion.

But there were signs of a slowdown. The department said total exports peaked at $1.3 billion in June 2008, then dropped to $791 million in December.

The aircraft industry provided the largest share of the exports, at nearly $4 billion in 2008. That was up 28 percent from about $3.1 billion in 2007.

Canada has been the biggest market for Kansas products in recent years, and it remained so in 2008, receiving $2.6 billion worth of exports.