The bulk of Dominican exports is concentrated in 23 products. As reported in Diario Libre, during the first five months of the year, 23 products accounted for US$2.49 billion of the total US$3.2 billion exported. This year exports are up 18%, about US$381.89 million more than last year. The leading exports were blood transfusion apparatus (US$147.66 million), cotton apparel (US$118.28 million), handmade cigars (US$102.45 million), raw sugar (US$100.3 million), ferronickel (US$72.27 million), electrical switches (US$68.26 million), disposable medical equipment (US$66.83 million), bananas (US$65.45 million), gasoline (US$60.27 million), steel rods (US$60.16 million), disposable sheets (US$48.60million) and sugar cane rum (US$42.87 million).