Wholesale trade sales rose 3.7 percent ($1.1 billion) in the March 2021 quarter, Stats NZ said today.
The increases in the March quarter followed a 1.7 percent ($494 million) fall in the December 2020 quarter, when adjusted for seasonal effects.
"Wholesale trade sales rose this March 2021 quarter, rebounding from a drop in the December quarter last year," business insights manager Sue Chapman said.
| Actual | Seasonally adjusted | |
| Mar-18 | 24728334000 | 26329633000 |
| Jun-18 | 26645783000 | 26874839000 |
| Sep-18 | 27695288000 | 27433893000 |
| Dec-18 | 29271970000 | 27614136000 |
| Mar-19 | 26038196000 | 27772792000 |
| Jun-19 | 27624213000 | 27814189000 |
| Sep-19 | 28200644000 | 27911383000 |
| Dec-19 | 29838982000 | 28184090000 |
| Mar-20 | 26520993000 | 28307598000 |
| Jun-20 | 24951225000 | 25095983000 |
| Sep-20 | 29794725000 | 29473639000 |
| Dec-20 | 30657717000 | 28979367000 |
| Mar-21 | 28146432000 | 30058707000 |
Motor vehicles and parts lift wholesale trade sales
Leading the rise in wholesale trade sales in the March 2021 quarter was the motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts industry, which was up 18 percent ($512 million) from the December 2020 quarter.
"Wholesale trade sales of motor vehicles took a tumble in the COVID-affected June quarter. However, the increase in the March 2021 quarter, has lifted the year-ended March 2021 sales to just shy of the previous year's level," Ms Chapman said.
"At the same time, the high demand and import supply issues have caused wholesale trade vehicle stock levels to drop by more than $250 million over the same period."
| Wholesale trade sales | |
| Mar-18 | 2705478000 |
| Jun-18 | 2819510000 |
| Sep-18 | 2795885000 |
| Dec-18 | 2777211000 |
| Mar-19 | 2828313000 |
| Jun-19 | 2735327000 |
| Sep-19 | 2785628000 |
| Dec-19 | 2816919000 |
| Mar-20 | 2646553000 |
| Jun-20 | 1828982000 |
| Sep-20 | 2860993000 |
| Dec-20 | 2799865000 |
| Mar-21 | 3312314000 |
| Value of imports | |
| Mar-18 | 1962134864 |
| Jun-18 | 2627974350 |
| Sep-18 | 2378715068 |
| Dec-18 | 2104629397 |
| Mar-19 | 2056743264 |
| Jun-19 | 2115448938 |
| Sep-19 | 2332632796 |
| Dec-19 | 2064471250 |
| Mar-20 | 1848961748 |
| Jun-20 | 1094103180 |
| Sep-20 | 1466679278 |
| Dec-20 | 2022120538 |
| Mar-21 | 2237128483 |
Imports of vehicles, parts, and accessories were up $388 million (21 percent) in the March 2021 quarter compared with the March 2020 quarter. However, on a year-end March basis, vehicle imports had fallen 18.4 percent in 2021 compared with 2020.
For more on imports and exports of goods and services, see International Trade: March 2021 quarter.
Continued rises in manufacturing sales volumes in March
When adjusted for seasonal effects, manufacturing sales volumes reached a record peak of $27.0 billion, up 0.4 percent ($113 million) from the December 2020 quarter. When compared with the March 2020 quarter, manufacturing sales rose 4.2 percent ($1.1 billion) over the year.
| Actual | Seasonally adjusted | |
| Mar-18 | 25880705000 | 26073625000 |
| Jun-18 | 25850372000 | 25870240000 |
| Sep-18 | 24174696000 | 25650340000 |
| Dec-18 | 27711434000 | 26031636000 |
| Mar-19 | 26413210000 | 26422973000 |
| Jun-19 | 25750082000 | 25808130000 |
| Sep-19 | 24226552000 | 25814879000 |
| Dec-19 | 28115176000 | 26361519000 |
| Mar-20 | 25905989000 | 25914706000 |
| Jun-20 | 22624556000 | 22711264000 |
| Sep-20 | 24969744000 | 26780521000 |
| Dec-20 | 28706887000 | 26882344000 |
| Mar-21 | 27009833000 | 26995783000 |
Volumes are calculated by removing the effect of the price changes from sales values.
"Manufacturing sales continue to rise this March quarter following similar rises in December," Ms Chapman said.
"In the March quarter, the most substantial sales volume rises were in transport, machinery and equipment manufacturing, as well as meat and dairy product manufacturing."
Transport, machinery, and equipment manufacturing
By industry, transport equipment, machinery, and equipment manufacturing had the largest increase, up 6.9 percent ($208 million) in the March 2021 quarter.
"The electronic and electrical equipment manufacturing sub-industry had the lion's share of the sales for the March 2021 quarter," Ms Chapman said.
"Outputs from this industry fed into the exports of optical, medical, and measuring equipment goods, which have increased over 50 percent during the last 12 months."
Conversely, the transport equipment manufacturing sub-industry had sales suffer with the lack of demand for aircraft maintenance and aircraft parts.
Meat and dairy products
Meat and dairy products manufacturing sales volumes rose 1.3 percent ($104 million) in the March 2021 quarter, the second largest industry rise.
"In the beginning of the March month, dairy prices rose their highest levels in almost seven years. Ms Chapman said.
