A glance at NZ trade after coronavirus outbreak – 1 April update

Daily goods trade data between 1 February and 25 March gives an updated glance at New Zealand’s trade with the world since the COVID-19 outbreak, Stats NZ said today.

For the first 25 days of March 2020 with the equivalent 25 days in 2019:

  • total imports from all countries were down 3.4 percent ($126 million), from $3.7 billion to $3.6 billion
  • total exports to all countries were up 0.5 percent ($22 million), from $4.6 billion to $4.7 billion
  • imports from China were down 14 percent ($93 million), from $661 million to $568 million
  • exports to China were down 12 percent ($153 million), from $1.3 billion to $1.1 billion.

The high-level graphs released today show total export and import values, and export and import values to and from China.

In addition to the series published last week, the CSV file now includes:

  • export values to Japan
  • total imports of machinery and electronics
  • imports of machinery and electronics from China.

The data is provisional and should be regarded as an early, indicative estimate of intentions to trade only, subject to revision.

The data compares trade from 1 February to 25 March 2020 against previous years. This allows for an estimate to be made of what may have happened to trade, if they had followed typical patterns.
Stats NZ urges caution in making decisions based on this provisional data.

See Provisional indications – effects of coronavirus outbreak on New Zealand trade with China.

/Stats NZ Public Release. View in full here.