Overseas Merchandise Trade 19 September

Overseas merchandise trade statistics provide information on imports and exports of merchandise goods between New Zealand and other countries.

Key facts

This release refers to trade in goods only.

In August 2025, compared with August 2024:

• goods exports rose by $1.1 billion (23 percent), to $5.9 billion
• goods imports fell by $30 million (0.4 percent), to $7.1 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a deficit of $1.2 billion.

Text alternative for Goods imports and exports, August 2025 month, compared with August 2024 month

Exports

Goods exports rose by $1.1 billion (23 percent) in August 2025 (to $5.9 billion), compared with August 2024.

Fruit leads rise in exports

Fruit exports rose $330 million (57 percent), to $905 million. This was led by kiwifruit, up $301 million (64 percent) to $772 million.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $272 million (32 percent), to $1.1 billion.

Top monthly export movements by country

The monthly movements in August 2025, compared with August 2024, for our top export partners (in order of total annual goods exports) were:

• China: total exports were up $343 million (35 percent).
  • The largest rises were fruit, up $123 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $96 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, up $55 million.
  • The largest fall was petroleum and products, down $42 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $127 million (17 percent).
  • The largest rises were precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $47 million; aircraft and parts, up $47 million; and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $23 million.
  • The largest falls were mechanical machinery and equipment, down $20 million; and beverages, spirits, and vinegar, down $20 million.
• USA: total exports were up $96 million (14 percent).
  • The largest rises were casein and caseinates, up $47 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $34 million; and fruit, up $30 million.
  • The largest falls were mechanical machinery and equipment, down $31 million; and iron and steel, and articles, down $15 million.
• EU: total exports were up $210 million (52 percent).
  • The largest rises were fruit, up $123 million; meat and edible offal, up $40 million; and aluminium and aluminium articles, up $27 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• Japan: total exports were down $41 million (11 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest fall was milk powder, butter, and cheese, down $28 million.

Imports

Goods imports fell by $30 million (0.4 percent) in August 2025 (to $7.1 billion), compared with August 2024.

Top monthly import movements by country

The monthly movements in August 2025, compared with August 2024, for our top import partners (in order of total annual goods imports) were:

• China: total imports were up $91 million (6.2 percent).
  • The largest rises were fertilisers, up $75 million; vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $52 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $18 million.
  • The largest falls were iron and steel, and articles, down $14 million; and petroleum and products, down $13 million.
• EU: total imports were down $61 million (6.0 percent).
  • The largest rises were pharmaceutical products, up $17 million; electrical machinery and equipment, up $15 million; and optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $12 million.
  • The largest falls were vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $45 million; and ships, boats, and floating structures, down $32 million.
• Australia: total imports were up $3.9 million (0.5 percent).
  • The largest rises were precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $17 million; paper and paperboard, and articles, up $13 million; and cocoa and cocoa preparations, up $12 million.
  • The largest falls were ships, boats, and floating structures, down $20 million; and electrical machinery and equipment, down $17 million.
• USA: total imports were down $10 million (1.3 percent).
  • The largest rises were electrical machinery and equipment, up $39 million; mechanical machinery and equipment, up $30 million; and petroleum and products, up $16 million.
  • The largest falls were aircraft and parts, down $95 million; and food residues, wastes, and fodder, down $11 million.
• South Korea: total imports were down $213 million (32 percent)
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest falls were petroleum and products, down $182 million; and fertilisers, down $30 million.

Trade deficit in August 2025

The monthly trade balance was a deficit of $1.2 billion.

August 2025 year

Annual values are actual and compared with the year ended August 2024.

• Annual goods exports were valued at $77.8 billion, up $8.7 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $80.8 billion, up $2.3 billion from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $3.0 billion. In the year ended August 2024 the annual trade deficit was $9.4 billion.

Text alternative for Goods imports and exports, August 2025 month compared with August 2024 month

The diagram shows goods exports and imports for the August 2025 month compared with the August 2024 month.

The trade balance is a deficit of $1.2 billion. This is the difference between exports valued at $5.9 billion (up $1.1 billion or 23 percent) and imports valued at $7.1 billion (down $30 million or 0.4 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: fruit, up $330 million (57 percent); milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $272 million (32 percent); meat and edible offal, up $142 million (30 percent); and precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $75 million (92 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: mechanical machinery and equipment, down $47 million (20 percent); iron and steel, and articles, down $19 million (28 percent); animal or vegetable fats and oils, down $18 million (50 percent); and other chemical products, down $12 million (54 percent).

Import commodities that rose included: electrical machinery and equipment, up $78 million (13 percent); vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $68 million (10 percent); fertilisers, up $47 million (28 percent); and railway, up $34 million (124 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: petroleum and products*, down $91 million (10 percent); aircraft and parts*, down $83 million (34 percent); ships, boats, and floating structures*, down $52 million (92 percent); and food residues, wastes, and fodder, down $25 million (16 percent).

*Exports and imports of ships, boats, and floating structures; aircraft and parts; and petroleum and products fluctuate month to month based on individual large movements.

Source: Stats NZ

More data

Use Infoshare to access time-series data for imports and exports (subject category: Imports and exports).

Overseas merchandise trade datasets has CSV data for goods imports and exports.

International trade: June 2025 quarter has information on trade in goods and services.

Definitions and metadata

Overseas merchandise trade - DataInfo+ provides the definitions of terms used in this release and general methodology used to produce overseas merchandise trade statistics.

Technical enquiries

Sarah Faulkner
[email protected]
04 931 4600

ISSN 1178-0320

Next release

Overseas merchandise trade: September 2025 will be released on 21 October 2025.