Overseas Merchandise Trade 22 July

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 June 2025, compared with June 2024:

• goods exports rose by $601 million (10 percent), to $6.6 billion
• goods imports rose by $1.0 billion (19 percent), to $6.5 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $142 million.

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

Exports

Goods exports rose by $601 million (10 percent) in June 2025 (to $6.6 billion), compared with June 2024.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $323 million (22 percent), to $1.8 billion.

Fruit exports were $738 million in June 2025, a 25 percent increase ($146 million) compared with June 2024.

Top monthly export movements by country

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

• China: total exports were up $151 million (11 percent).
  • The largest rises were milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $167 million; logs, wood, and wood articles, up $71 million; and fruit, up $44 million.
  • The largest falls were crude oil, down $35 million; preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, down $31 million; and aircraft and parts, down $19 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $108 million (16 percent).
  • The largest rises were crude oil, up $55 million; mechanical machinery and equipment, up $26 million; and precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $18 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• USA: total exports were down $72 million (8.8 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest falls were mechanical machinery and equipment, down $23 million; meat and edible offal, down $14 million; and milk powder, butter, and cheese, down $14 million.
• EU: total exports were up $193 million (38 percent).
  • The largest rises were fruit, up $68 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $34 million; and meat and edible offal, up $28 million.
  • The largest fall was mechanical machinery and equipment, down $45 million.
• Japan: total exports were down $17 million (4.7 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest falls were aluminium and aluminium articles, down $20 million; mechanical machinery and equipment, down $18 million; and meat and edible offal, down $15 million.

Imports

Goods imports rose by $1.0 billion (19 percent), in June 2025 (to $6.5 billion), compared with June 2024.

Petroleum and products lead imports rise

Petroleum and products increased $372 million (101 percent) reaching a total of $739 million.

Imports of vehicles, parts, and accessories rose by $100 million (13 percent), totalling $874 million. Leading the increase were vehicles for the transport of goods, which grew by $66 million (45 percent), and public transit vehicles, up $27 million (436 percent).

Top monthly import movements by country

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

• China: total imports were up $111 million (9.1 percent).
  • The largest rises were vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $51 million; mechanical machinery and equipment, up $23 million; and electrical machinery and equipment, up $23 million.
  • The largest fall was fertilisers, down $13 million.
• EU: total imports were up $8.0 million (0.8 percent).
  • The largest rises were mechanical machinery and equipment, up $30 million; electrical machinery and equipment, up $11 million; and optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $10 million.
  • The largest falls were vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $59 million; and aircraft and parts, down $19 million.
• Australia: total imports were up $42 million (6.8 percent).
  • The largest rise was precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $14 million.
  • The largest fall was vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $15 million.
• USA: total imports were up $108 million (21 percent).
  • The largest rises were food residues, wastes, and fodder, up $42 million; optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $28 million; and pharmaceutical products, up $17 million.
  • The largest fall was mechanical machinery and equipment, down $25 million.
• South Korea: total imports were up $134 million (40 percent).
  • The largest rise was petroleum and products, up $133 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.

Trade surplus in June 2025

The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $142 million.

June 2025 quarter

June 2025 values are seasonally adjusted and compared with the March 2025 quarter.

• Goods exports fell 3.7 percent ($751 million) to $19.7 billion, following a 11 percent rise in the March 2025 quarter.
• Goods imports fell 0.3 percent ($59 million) to $20.4 billion, following a 3.5 percent fall in the March 2025 quarter.
• The quarterly trade balance was a deficit of $709 million.

June 2025 year

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

• Annual goods exports were valued at $76.4 billion, up $7.8 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $80.7 billion, up $2.6 billion from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $4.4 billion. In the year ended June 2024 the deficit was $9.5 billion.

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

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

The trade balance is a surplus of $142 million. This is the difference between exports valued at $6.6 billion (up $601 million or 10 percent) and imports valued at $6.5 billion (up $1.0 billion or 19 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $323 million (22 percent); fruit, up $146 million (25 percent); logs, wood, and wood articles, up $85 million (25 percent); and crude oil*, up $59 million (169 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: preparation of milk, cereals, flour, and starch (includes infant formula), down $47 million (18 percent); casein and caseinates, down $35 million (25 percent); and aluminium and aluminium articles, down $19 million (13 percent).

Import commodities that rose included: petroleum and products*, up $372 million (101 percent); vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $100 million (13 percent); and electrical machinery and equipment, up $72 million (14 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: aircraft and parts*, down $15 million (8.2 percent); and mechanical machinery and equipment, down $14 million (1.6 percent).

*Imports and exports 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: March 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

Samisoni Makaafi
[email protected]
04 931 4600

ISSN 1178-0320

Next release

Overseas merchandise trade: July 2025 will be released on 21 August 2025.