Overseas Merchandise Trade 21 May

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 April 2025, compared with April 2024:

• goods exports rose by $1.5 billion (25 percent), to $7.8 billion
• goods imports rose by $112 million (1.8 percent), to $6.4 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $1.4 billion.

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

Exports

Goods exports rose by $1.5 billion (25 percent) in April 2025 (to $7.8 billion), compared with April 2024.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $601 million (38 percent), to $2.2 billion.

Meat and edible offal rose $269 million (34 percent), to $1.1 billion.

Fruit exports reached $1.2 billion in April 2025, a 29 percent increase ($264 million) compared with April 2024.

Top monthly export movements by country

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

• China: total exports were up $476 million (30 percent).
  • The largest rises were milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $165 million; fruit, up $158 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, up $104 million.
  • The largest fall was fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, down $15 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $34 million (4.9 percent).
  • The largest rises were precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $37 million and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $22 million.
  • The largest fall was miscellaneous edible preparations, down $11 million.
• USA: total exports were up $184 million (25 percent).
  • The largest rises were meat and edible offal, up $79 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $38 million; and fruit, up $31 million.
  • The largest fall was mechanical machinery and equipment, down $16 million.
• EU: total exports were up $184 million (34 percent).
  • The largest rises were meat and edible offal, up $91 million; mechanical machinery and equipment, up $56 million; and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $19 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• Japan: total exports were up $54 million (12 percent).
  • The largest rises were milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $19 million and fruit, up $15 million.
  • The largest fall was aluminium and aluminium articles, down $11 million.

Imports

Goods imports rose by $112 million (1.8 percent), in April 2025 (to $6.4 billion), compared with April 2024.

Top monthly import movements by country

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

• China: total imports were up $51 million (3.9 percent).
  • The largest rises were mechanical machinery and equipment, up $31 million; vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $29 million; and iron and steel, and articles, up $11 million.
  • The largest falls were petroleum and products, down $58 million and electrical machinery and equipment, down $43 million.
• EU: total imports were down $84 million (9.6 percent).
  • The largest rise was meat and edible offal, up $18 million.
  • The largest falls were vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $30 million; pharmaceutical products, down $29 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, down $20 million.
• Australia: total imports were up $76,000 (minimal change).
  • The largest rises were inorganic chemicals, up $30 million; precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $13 million; and animal or vegetable fats and oils, up $12 million.
  • The largest falls were cereals, down $29 million and vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $15 million.
• USA: total imports were up $323 million (66 percent).
  • The largest rises were mechanical machinery and equipment, up $130 million; aircraft and parts, up $125 million; and electrical machinery and equipment, up $47 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• South Korea: total imports were down $202 million (30 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest fall was petroleum and products, down $201 million.

Trade surplus in April 2025

The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $1.4 billion.

April 2025 year

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

• Annual goods exports were valued at $75.4 billion, up $6.8 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $80.3 billion, up $1.4 billion from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $4.8 billion. In the year ended April 2024 the deficit was $10.2 billion.

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

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

The trade balance is a surplus of $1.4 billion. This is the difference between exports valued at $7.8 billion (up $1.5 billion or 25 percent) and imports valued at $6.4 billion (up $112 million or 1.8 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $601 million (38 percent); meat and edible offal, up $269 million (34 percent); fruit, up $265 million (28 percent); logs, wood, and wood articles, up $141 million (42 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: iron and steel, and articles, down $21 million (27 percent); pharmaceutical products, down $11 million (19 percent).

Import commodities that rose included: mechanical machinery and equipment, up $168 million (22 percent); aircraft and parts*, up $128 million (328 percent); inorganic chemicals, up $34 million (55 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: petroleum and products*, down $321 million (27 percent); electrical machinery and equipment, down $33 million (5.4 percent); cereals, down $26 million (65 percent); pharmaceutical products, down $17 million (9.0 percent).

*Imports and exports of 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: December 2024 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

Scott Wernham
04 931 4600
[email protected]

ISSN 1178-0320

Next release

Overseas merchandise trade: May 2025 will be released on 25 June 2025.