Overseas Merchandise Trade 19 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 2026, compared with May 2025:

• goods exports rose by $1.4 billion (18 percent), to $8.9 billion
• goods imports rose by $1.7 billion (26 percent), to $8.1 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $800 million.

Text alternative for Goods exports and imports, May 2026 month compared with May 2025 month

Exports

Goods exports rose by $1.4 billion (18 percent) in May 2026 (to $8.9 billion), compared with May 2025.

Milk powder, butter, and cheese rose $147 million (6.9 percent), to $2.3 billion.

Aluminium exports rose $134 million (90 percent) to $282 million in May 2026, compared with May 2025. The quantity of aluminium exported rose 23 percent, and the average unit value rose 54 percent.

Top monthly export movements by country

The monthly movements in May 2026, compared with May 2025, for our top export partners (in order of total annual goods exports) were:

• China: total exports were up $196 million (10 percent).
  • The largest rises were meat and edible offal, up $70 million; milk powder, butter and cheese, up $50 million; and fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, up $42 million.
  • The largest falls were fruit, down $52 million; ores and slag, down $11 million; and preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, down $10 million.
• Australia: total exports were up $255 million (33 percent).
  • The largest rises were precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $59 million; pharmaceutical products, up $23 million; and iron and steel, and articles, up $17 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.
• USA: total exports were up $265 million (29 percent).
  • The largest rises were meat and edible offal, up $233 million; fruit, up $41 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $20 million.
  • The largest falls were milk powder, butter and cheese, down $27 million; casein and caseinates, down $15 million; and logs, wood, and wood articles, down $14 million.
• EU: total exports were up $110 million (15 percent).
  • The largest rises were fruit, up $85 million; aluminium and aluminium articles, up $65 million; and meat and edible offal, up $25 million.
  • The largest falls were mechanical machinery and equipment, down $56 million; and milk powder, butter and cheese, down $44 million.
• Japan: total exports were up $120 million (31 percent).
  • The largest rises were aluminium and aluminium articles, up $34 million; meat and edible offal, up $20 million; and fruit, up $17 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.

Imports

Goods imports rose by $1.7 billion (26 percent) in May 2026 (to $8.1 billion), compared with May 2025.

Petroleum and petroleum products increased $834 million (104 percent) to $1.6 billion, compared with May 2025.

Contributing to the rise in petroleum and petroleum products in May 2026 compared with May 2025 were:

• automotive diesel – rose $378 million (108 percent) in value. The quantity imported rose 8.6 percent, while the average unit value rose 91 percent.
• motor spirit – rose $199 million (80 percent) in value. The quantity imported rose 16 percent, while the average unit value rose 55 percent.
• jet fuel – rose $227 million (181 percent) in value. The quantity imported rose 55 percent, while the average unit value rose 82 percent.

Top monthly import movements by country

The monthly movements in May 2026, compared with May 2025, for our top import partners (in order of total annual goods imports) were:

• China: total imports were up $280 million (19 percent).
  • The largest rises were vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $77 million; electrical machinery and equipment, up $51 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $26 million.
  • The largest fall was petroleum and products, down $11 million.
• EU: total imports were up $145 million (15 percent).
  • The largest rises were vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $73 million; railway, up $28 million; and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $23 million.
  • The largest falls were ships, boats, and floating structures, down $37 million; and aircraft and parts, down $12 million.
• Australia: total imports were up $147 million (20 percent).
  • The largest rises were food residues, wastes, and fodder, up $19 million; preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, up $16 million; and vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $16 million.
  • The largest falls were cereals, down $13 million; and inorganic chemicals, down $11 million.
• USA: total imports were up $105 million (18 percent).
  • The largest rises were mechanical machinery and equipment, up $44 million; pharmaceutical products, up $39 million; and food residues, wastes, and fodder, up $20 million.
  • The largest falls were vehicles, parts, and accessories, down $26 million; and stone, plaster, concrete, and asbestos, down $12 million.
• South Korea: total imports were up $391 million (79 percent).
  • The largest rise was petroleum and products, up $378 million.
  • There were no significant falls over $10 million.

Trade surplus in May 2026

The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $800 million.

Imports of selected Harmonised System (HS codes) – Supplementary table

The following table presents selected harmonised system (HS codes) for import commodities that may be affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

May 2026 year

Annual values are actual and compared with the year ended May 2025.

• Annual goods exports were valued at $82.7 billion, up $6.9 billion from the previous year.
• Annual goods imports were valued at $86.0 billion, up $6.2 billion from the previous year.
• The annual trade deficit was $3.4 billion. In the year ended May 2025 the deficit was $4.0 billion.

Text alternative for Goods exports and imports, May 2026 month compared with May 2025 month

The diagram shows goods exports and imports for the May 2026 month compared with the May 2025 month.

The trade balance is a surplus of $800 million. This is the difference between exports valued at $8.9 billion (up $1.4 billion or 18 percent) and imports valued at $8.1 billion (up $1.7 billion or 26 percent).

Export commodities that rose included: meat and edible offal, up $436 million (43 percent); milk powder, butter and cheese, up $147 million (6.9 percent); aluminium and aluminium articles, up $134 million (90 percent); fruit, up $113 million (11 percent).

Export commodities that fell included: mechanical machinery and equipment, down $28 million (11 percent); preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch, down $25 million (10 percent); casein and caseinates, down $12 million (9.0 percent).

Import commodities that rose included: petroleum and products*, up $834 million (104 percent); vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $240 million (37 percent); mechanical machinery and equipment, up $122 million (13 percent); electrical machinery and equipment, up $109 million (19 percent).

Import commodities that fell included: ships, boats, and floating structures, down $41 million (91 percent); aircraft and parts, down $18 million (24 percent); cereals, down $10 million (20 percent)

* Imports of petroleum and products fluctuate month to month based on individual 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 2026 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.

Infoshare is being replaced by Aotearoa Data Explorer

Infoshare is being replaced by Aotearoa Data Explorer. Stay informed and get support with this change by joining our customer group at [email protected].

Technical enquiries

International accounts team
[email protected]
04 931 4600

ISSN 1178-0320

Next release

Overseas merchandise trade: June 2026 will be released on 20 July 2026.