New Zealand’s trade balance swung to a NZD 52 million surplus in December 2025 from a NZD 36 million surplus in the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 15.0% to NZD 7.7 billion, driven by milk powder, butter and cheese (up NZD 361m, +15%), meat and edible offal (up NZD 274m, +30%), precious metals (up NZD 223m, +172%) and aluminium (up 36%). Exports to Australia were up 26%, to the European Union up 31% and to Japan up 15%. Imports rose 15.0% to NZD 7.6 billion, led by higher electrical machinery and equipment, mechanical machinery and equipment, vehicles, parts and accessories, and petroleum and products. Imports from China increased 27%, from the EU 26%, the US fell 16% and South Korea rose 11%. source: Statistics New Zealand

New Zealand recorded a trade surplus of 52 NZD Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in New Zealand averaged -105.53 NZD Million from 1951 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 1374.02 NZD Million in April of 2020 and a record low of -2634.14 NZD Million in August of 2022. This page provides the latest reported value for - New Zealand Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. New Zealand Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

New Zealand recorded a trade surplus of 52 NZD Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in New Zealand is expected to be 270.00 NZD Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the New Zealand Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -800.00 NZD Million in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-18 09:45 PM
Balance of Trade
Nov NZ$-0.163B NZ$-1.598B NZ$-1.175B NZ$-0.5B
2026-01-28 09:45 PM
Balance of Trade
Dec NZ$0.052B NZ$-0.335B NZ$0.03B NZ$ -0.18B
2026-02-19 09:45 PM
Balance of Trade
Jan NZ$0.052B NZ$-0.1B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 52.00 -335.00 NZD Million Dec 2025
Capital Flows 4653.00 2748.00 NZD Million Sep 2025
Current Account -8370.00 -1300.00 NZD Million Sep 2025
Current Account to GDP -5.70 -6.60 percent of GDP Dec 2024
Exports 7650.00 6810.00 NZD Million Dec 2025
Foreign Direct Investment 620.00 2171.00 NZD Million Sep 2025
Imports 7600.00 7150.00 NZD Million Dec 2025
Terms of Trade 1567.00 1506.00 points Jun 2025
Tourism Revenues 3300.00 3612.00 NZD Million Sep 2025
Visitor Arrivals YoY 347577.00 262731.00 Nov 2025


New Zealand Balance of Trade
New Zealand is greatly dependent on international trade. New Zealand's economy has traditionally been based on a foundation of exports from its very efficient agricultural system: dairy products, meat, forest products, fruit and beverages. New Zealand imports mainly vehicles, machinery and equipment, petroleum, electronics, plastics and aircraft. Its main trading partners are: China, Australia, the US, Japan and South Korea.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
52.00 -335.00 1374.02 -2634.14 1951 - 2025 NZD Million Monthly

News Stream
New Zealand Trade Surplus Widens
New Zealand’s trade balance swung to a NZD 52 million surplus in December 2025 from a NZD 36 million surplus in the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 15.0% to NZD 7.7 billion, driven by milk powder, butter and cheese (up NZD 361m, +15%), meat and edible offal (up NZD 274m, +30%), precious metals (up NZD 223m, +172%) and aluminium (up 36%). Exports to Australia were up 26%, to the European Union up 31% and to Japan up 15%. Imports rose 15.0% to NZD 7.6 billion, led by higher electrical machinery and equipment, mechanical machinery and equipment, vehicles, parts and accessories, and petroleum and products. Imports from China increased 27%, from the EU 26%, the US fell 16% and South Korea rose 11%.
2026-01-28
New Zealand’s Trade Deficit Narrows in November
New Zealand’s trade deficit narrowed to NZD 163 million in November 2025 from NZD 450 million in the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 9.2% to NZD 7 billion, due to milk powder, butter (5.9%), Kiwifruit (29%), Apple (29%), Precious metal (106%). Exports to to Australia were up 31%, to the European Union up 51% and to Japan up 1.9%. Imports rose 4.4% to NZD 7.2 billion, led by higher petroleum and products, mechanical machinery and equipment, vehicles, part and accessories and aircraft and parts. Imports from China increased 1.7%, from the EU 17%, the US 36% and South Korea 20%.
2025-12-18
New Zealand’s Trade Deficit Narrows in October
New Zealand’s trade deficit narrowed to NZD 1.5 billion in October 2025 as export growth outpaced imports down from NZD 1.65 billion in the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 16% to NZD 6.5 billion, supported by milk powder, butter and cheese which increased 18% to NZD 2,096 million and by fruit which rose 45%. Exports to China were up 18%, to Australia up 14%, to the United States up 5.4%, to the European Union up 40% and to Japan up 7.5%. Imports rose 11% to NZD 8.0 billion, led by higher petroleum and products, fertilisers, mechanical machinery and electrical machinery. Imports from China increased 29%, from Australia 6.8%, while imports from the United States fell 15% and from South Korea fell 19%. For the year to October 2025 annual goods exports were NZD 79.4 billion, annual goods imports were NZD 81.6 billion and the annual trade deficit narrowed to NZD 2.3 billion from NZD 9.1 billion in the year ended October 2024.
2025-11-20