Latest Statistics Confirm Export Growth

Overseas Merchandise Trade: April 2000

The value of merchandise exports continues to grow, assisted by the low New Zealand dollar. Detailed export values released today by Statistics New Zealand for the month of April 2000 confirm preliminary estimates showing the monthly rate of growth in the exports trend exceeding the growth in the imports trend.

The provisional value of merchandise exports was $2,355 million, $55 million higher than our early estimate released on 24 May 2000. This compares with $2,386 million for imports.

The resulting trade balance was a deficit of $31 million. During the last 10 years the average trade balance for the month of April, including April 2000, was a surplus of $175 million. Excluding large one-off imports, this month's trade balance is very close to the 10 year average.

The provisional value of merchandise exports for the year ended April 2000 was $24,855 million, up 9.6 per cent from the previous year ended April. The provisional merchandise trade balance for the year ended April 2000 was a deficit of $3,448 million compared with $1,208 million for the previous April year.

Ian Ewing

DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

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