Overseas Merchandise Trade 25 June

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 May 2025, compared with May 2024:

• goods exports rose by $676 million (9.7 percent), to $7.7 billion
• goods imports fell by $499 million (7.2 percent), to $6.4 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $1.2 billion.

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

Exports

Goods exports rose by $676 million (9.7 percent) in May 2025 (to $7.7 billion), compared with May 2024.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $332 million (18 percent), to $2.2 billion.

Fruit exports were $1.0 billion in May 2025, a 25 percent increase ($201 million) compared with May 2024.

Meat and edible offal rose $100 million (11 percent), to $1.0 billion.

Exports of gold rose $49 million (84 percent), to $156 million compared with April 2025.

Top monthly export movements by country

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

• China: total exports were up $231 million (13 percent).
  • The largest rises were milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $156 million; fruit, up $105 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, up $30 million.
  • The largest falls were preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, down $29 million; casein and caseinates, down $23 million; and fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, down $20 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $72 million (10 percent).
  • The largest rises were precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $71 million and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $13 million.
  • The largest fall was beverages, spirits, and vinegar, down $16 million.
• USA: total exports were down $22 million (2.2 percent).
  • The largest rises were casein and caseinates, up $14 million and logs, wood, and wood articles, up $13 million.
  • The largest falls were meat and edible offal, down $16 million; miscellaneous edible preparations, down $16 million; and aircraft and parts, down $16 million.
• EU: total exports were up $212 million (41 percent).
  • The largest rises were mechanical machinery and equipment, up $58 million; milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $53 million; and fruit, up $46 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• Japan: total exports were down $69 million (14 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest falls were meat and edible offal, down $24 million; aluminium and aluminium articles, down $18 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, down $12 million.

Imports

Goods imports fell by $499 million (7.2 percent), in May 2025 (to $6.4 billion), compared with May 2024.

Top monthly import movements by country

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

• China: total imports were up $53 million (3.7 percent).
  • The largest rises were vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $68 million and electrical machinery and equipment, up $19 million.
  • The largest fall was petroleum and products, down $36 million.
• EU: total imports were down $24 million (2.4 percent).
  • The largest rises were ships, boats, and floating structures, up $37 million; pharmaceutical products, up $19 million; and aircraft and parts, up $16 million.
  • The largest fall was vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $97 million.
• Australia: total imports were down $37 million (4.8 percent).
  • The largest rise was inorganic chemicals, up $12 million.
  • The largest falls were vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $27 million; cereals, down $20 million; and electrical machinery and equipment, down $12 million.
• USA: total imports were down $314 million (34 percent).
  • The largest rise was stone, plaster, concrete, and asbestos, up $12 million.
  • The largest falls were aircraft and parts, down $243 million; food residues, wastes, and fodder, down $40 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, down $38 million.
• South Korea: total imports were down $59 million (11 percent).
  • There were no significant rises over $10 million.
  • The largest fall was petroleum and products, down $69 million.

Trade surplus in May 2025

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

May 2025 year

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

• Annual goods exports were valued at $76.0 billion, up $7.2 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $79.8 billion, up $825 million from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $3.8 billion. In the year ended May 2024 the deficit was $10 billion.

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

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

The trade balance is a surplus of $1.2 billion. This is the difference between exports valued at $7.7 billion (up $676 million or 9.7 percent) and imports valued at $6.4 billion (down $499 million or 7.2 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $332 million (18 percent); fruit, up $201 million (25 percent); meat and edible offal, up $100 million (11 percent); precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $70 million (69 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: crude oil*, down $22 million (39 percent); animal or vegetable fats and oils, down $21 million (57 percent); iron and steel, and articles, down $17 million (24 percent).

Import commodities that rose included: ships, boats, and floating structures*, up $37 million (443 percent); electrical machinery and equipment, up $28 million (5.0 percent); fertilisers, up $18 million (179 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: aircraft and parts*, down $214 million (74 percent); petroleum and products*, down $212 million (21 percent); vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $167 million (20 percent); cereals, down $23 million (31 percent).

*Imports and exports of aircraft and parts, crude oil, petroleum and products, and ships, boats, and floating structures 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: June 2025 will be released on 22 July 2025.