Overseas Merchandise Trade: December 2016

December 2016 quarter:

Values are seasonally adjusted and compared with the September 2016 quarter.

• Exports fell 0.8 percent (to $11.9 billion), led by a fall in crude oil.
• Logs, wood, and wood articles fell 5.4 percent ($58 million).
• Fruit rose 20 percent ($130 million).
• Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose 9.6 percent ($262 million).
• Imports fell 1.9 percent (to $13 billion).
• The quarterly trade deficit was $1.0 billion (8.5 percent of exports).

December 2016 month:

Values are actual and compared with the December 2015 month.

• Exports fell $41 million (0.9 percent) to $4.4 billion.
• Meat and edible offal fell $93 million (16 percent).
• Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $109 million (8.0 percent).
• Imports fell $42 million (0.9 percent) to $4.4 billion.
• The monthly trade deficit was $41 million (0.9 percent of exports).
• The trade weighted index rose 0.2 percent from November 2016.

December 2016 year:

Values are actual and compared with the December 2015 year.

• Exports fell $544 million (1.1 percent) to $48 billion.
• Meat and edible offal fell $909 million (13 percent).
• Milk powder, butter, and cheese fell $337 million (2.9 percent).
• Fruit rose $428 million (19 percent), led by gold kiwifruit, up $270 million (54 percent).
• Logs, wood, and wood articles rose $607 million (17 percent).
• Imports fell $883 million (1.7 percent) to $52 billion.
• The annual trade deficit was $3.2 billion (6.6 percent of exports).

See also:

Liz MacPherson, Government Statistician
ISSN 1178-0320
30 January 2017