Overseas Merchandise Trade 21 November

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 October 2025, compared with October 2024:

• goods exports rose by $879 million (16 percent), to $6.5 billion
• goods imports rose by $767 million (11 percent), to $8.0 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a deficit of $1.5 billion.

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

Exports

Goods exports rose by $879 million (16 percent) in October 2025 (to $6.5 billion), compared with October 2024.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $316 million (18 percent), to $2.1 billion.

Top monthly export movements by country

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

• China: total exports were up $241 million (18 percent).
  • The largest rises were in milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $146 million; fruit, up $67 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, up $36 million.
  • The largest falls were in preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, down $38 million; crude oil, down $30 million; and meat and edible offal, down $13 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $110 million (14 percent).
  • The largest rises were in precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $55 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $29 million; and crude oil, up $29 million.
  • The largest fall was in beverages, spirits, and vinegar, down $27 million.
• USA: total exports were up $37 million (5.4 percent).
  
  • The largest rises were in meat and edible offal, up $37 million; wine, up $25 million; and eggs, honey, and other edible animal products, up $16 million.
  • The largest falls were in precious metals, jewellery, and coins, down $46 million, and casein and caseinates, down $17 million.
• EU: total exports were up $124 million (40 percent).
  
  • The largest rises were in meat and edible offal, up $50 million; aluminium and aluminium articles, up $26 million; and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $19 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• Japan: total exports were up $21 million (7.5 percent).
  
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest fall was in milk powder, butter, and cheese, down $16 million.

Imports

Goods imports rose by $767 million (11 percent), in October 2025 (to $8.0 billion), compared with October 2024.

Top monthly import movements by country

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

• China: total imports were up $452 million (29 percent).
  
  • The largest rises were in electrical machinery and equipment, up $132 million; fertilisers, up $128 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $86 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• EU: total imports were down $27 million (2.6 percent).
  
  • The largest rise was in optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $15 million.
  • The largest falls were in mechanical machinery and equipment, down $54 million, and pharmaceutical products, down $13 million.
• Australia: total imports were up $56 million (6.8 percent).
  
  • The largest rises were in precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $47 million, and ships, boats, and floating structures, up $11 million.
  • The largest fall was in inorganic chemicals, down $28 million.
• USA: total imports were down $155 million (15 percent).
  
  • The largest rises were in mechanical machinery and equipment, up $67 million; food residues, wastes, and fodder, up $52 million; and pharmaceutical products, up $15 million.
  • The largest falls were in aircraft and parts, down $298 million, and petroleum and products, down $24 million.
• South Korea: total imports were down $113 million (19 percent).
  
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest fall was in petroleum and products, down $122 million.

Trade deficit in October 2025

The monthly trade balance was a deficit of $1.5 billion.

October 2025 year

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

• Annual goods exports were valued at $79.4 billion, up $9.8 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $81.6 billion, up $3.0 billion from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $2.3 billion. In the year ended October 2024 the annual trade deficit was $9.1 billion.

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

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

The trade balance is a deficit of $1.5 billion. This is the difference between exports valued at $6.5 billion (up $879 million or 16 percent) and imports valued at $8.0 billion (up $767 million or 11 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $316 million (18 percent); meat and edible offal, up $167 million (30 percent); fruit, up $82 million (45 percent); and wine, up $55 million (33 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch*, down $40 million (15 percent); crude oil**, down $36 million (55 percent); and electrical machinery and equipment, down $15 million.

Import commodities that rose included: petroleum and products**, up $209 million (30 percent); fertilisers, up $209 million (370 percent); mechanical machinery and equipment, up $192 million (19 percent); and electrical machinery and equipment, up $174 million (26 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: aircraft and parts**, down $302 million (84 percent); inorganic chemicals, down $34 million (40 percent); salt, earths, stone, lime, and cement, down $31 million (76 percent); and pharmaceutical products, down $12 million (4.9 percent).

*Includes infant formula.

**Exports and imports of crude oil, petroleum and products, and aircraft and parts 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]

ISSN 1178-0320

Next release

Overseas merchandise trade: November 2025 will be released on 19 December 2025.