NZ’s trade deficit largest in nine years

New Zealand’s annual trade deficit for July was the widest in nine years as petroleum imports soared, though it was slightly narrower than economists had expected as dairy exports continued to push higher.

The country’s annual trade deficit widened to $4.4 billion in July from $3.2b a year earlier, Statistics New Zealand said. Economists had been expecting an annual deficit of $4.5b, according to the median in a Bloomberg poll of 10. It was the largest annual deficit since March 2009.

Annual imports for the year ended July were $60.7b, up $6.9b from the year ended July 2017. Annual exports were $56.2b, up $5.7b on the year.

“The rise in imports in the past year reflect large rises in both imports of petroleum and products, and in mechanical machinery and equipment. Exports of dairy and meat products led the exports rise,” international statistics manager Tehseen Islam said.

Imports of petroleum and products for the year ended July rose 30 per cent to $6.5b, largely due to higher international crude oil prices. For the year ended July, the value of dairy exports increased 11 per cent to $14.4b. Milk fats, including butter, led this rise, up $955 million. Milk powder exports also increased, up $373m.

For the July month, the trade deficit was $143m versus the $400m deficit economists had expected. Imports lifted 21 per cent to $5.5b as petroleum and products lifted 84 per cent to $165m.

Exports for the month rose 16 per cent to $5.35b.

The export values of dairy products increased 21 per cent from July 2017, reaching $1.5b, the highest since last December.