Steady Growth In Imports

Overseas Merchandise Trade (Imports): December 2000

For December 2000, merchandise imports are $2,714 million, according to Statistics New Zealand. For the year ended December 2000, imports are $30,753 million, an increase of 13.4 per cent from the previous December year.

Seasonally adjusted imports are 4.2 per cent higher in the December 2000 quarter than in the previous quarter. This follows an increase of 7.0 per cent for the September 2000 quarter.

Seasonally adjusted imports of intermediate goods increased by 8.3 per cent in the December 2000 quarter following an increase of 7.5 per cent in the previous quarter. Intermediate goods are goods which are mainly processed or used up by producers. Seasonally adjusted imports of consumption goods increased by 6.0 per cent in the December 2000 quarter after increasing by 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter.

Unadjusted imports of capital goods decreased by 0.9 per cent in the December 2000 quarter. Unadjusted imports of passenger motor vehicles decreased by 0.7 per cent.

The early estimate for December 2000 merchandise exports is $2,660 million, giving a deficit on merchandise trade of $54 million compared with a deficit of $1,079 million for December 1999. Contributing to the December 1999 merchandise trade deficit is the frigate HMNZS Te Mana valued at $631 million. The exports trend continues to grow at a faster rate than the imports trend. Detailed statistics for December 2000 merchandise exports will be released on 13 February 2001.

Ian Ewing DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

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