Exports to China rise for first month since August 2014

Exports to China rise for first month since August 2014

24 July 2015

Goods exports to China rose $20 million from June 2014 to reach $699 million in June 2015, Statistics New Zealand said today. The rise was over a range of commodities including logs, meat, and fruit.

“When we compare the same months a year apart, this is the first monthly increase in exports to China since August 2014,” international statistics manager Jason Attewell said. “However, whole milk powder to China continued its recent falls, and was down $92 million.”

Between September 2014 and May 2015, exports to China fell an average of $373 million a month when compared with the same month in the previous year. Exports to Australia, our largest export partner (annually), fell an average of $43 million a month over that time.

Overall goods exports rose 1.3 percent ($56 million) in June 2015, despite milk powder, butter, and cheese exports being down $320 million. Logs (up $112 million), meat (up $89 million), and fruit (up $87 million) led the rise.

Monthly imports rose 9.0 percent ($355 million) compared with June 2014. This was despite the import of large aircraft in June last year and no similar imports this June. The rise was across a range of commodities, including consumption goods from China (such as clothing) and machinery and plant from China (such as mobile phones).

There was a trade deficit of $60 million in June 2015, which is the first deficit for a June month since 2009. The annual trade deficit increased from May, to $2.8 billion in June.

Seasonally adjusted quarterly goods exports rose 0.4 percent ($49 million) from the March 2015 quarter, to $12.2 billion in the June 2015 quarter. Fruit exports rose, while milk powder, butter, and cheese fell. Quarterly goods imports also rose 0.4 percent ($45 million), to $12.6 billion. Capital goods imports rose while intermediate and consumption goods fell.

The seasonally adjusted quarterly trade deficit was $460 million. This is the fifth consecutive quarterly trade deficit. The last surplus was in the March 2014 quarter.

This release focuses on our goods trade. Goods made up 73 percent of total goods and services exports and 75 percent of total imports for the year ended March 2015. Goods and Services Trade by Country: Year ended June 2015 will be available on 2 September 2015.

For more information about these statistics:

• Visit Overseas Merchandise Trade: June 2015

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