New Zealand Imports Hit Record High

Imports to New Zealand rose 13.1% year-on-year to NZD 8.0 billion in August 2026, following a 28.4% jump in the previous month. The increase in imports was mainly driven by higher purchases of petroleum and petroleum products (up 42.7%), vehicles, parts, and accessories (up 30.2%), electrical machinery and equipment (up 25.4%), and mechanical machinery and equipment (up 14.7%). Meanwhile, purchases fell for aircraft and parts (-76.2%), fertilisers (-48.5%), railway (-71%), and food residues, wastes, and fodder (-24.3%). By source, imports advanced from China (29.0%), Australia (6.5%), South Korea (88.1%), and the EU (16.5%), while imports from the US fell 8.9%. Purchases also declined from Singapore (-11.9%), Germany (-0.6%), the UK (-28.8%), and Thailand (-4.9%).

Imports to New Zealand surged 28.4% year-on-year to a record high of NZD 9.34 billion in July 2026, following a downwardly revised 27.5% jump in the previous month. The surge in import growth was mainly driven by higher purchases of petroleum and petroleum products (up 127.2%), vehicles, parts, and accessories (37.5%), fertiliser (103.0%), and food residues, wastes, and fodder (105.2%). Meanwhile, purchases declined for aircraft and parts (-29.4%), cocoa and cocoa preparations (-21.5%), and pharmaceutical products (-5.1%). By source, imports advanced from China (21.2%), Australia (12.9%), South Korea (18.3%), and the EU (19%). By contrast, purchases fell from the US (-1.7%), Canada (-47.4%), and Mexico (-23.8%).

Imports to New Zealand surged 27.8% year-on-year to NZD 8.07 billion in June 2026, following a 25.9% rise in the previous month. The surge in import growth was mainly driven by higher purchases of petroleum and petroleum products (up 99.7%), mechanical machinery and equipment (22.5%), vehicles, parts, and accessories (11.5%), electrical machinery and equipment (35.8%), and optical, medical, and measuring equipment (9.6%). Meanwhile, purchases fell for food residues, wastes, and fodder (-39.2%) and precious metals, jewellery, and coins (-13.5%). By source, imports increased from China (32.1%), Australia (23.5%), South Korea (41.2%), Japan (33.7%), Singapore (127.4%), and the EU (23.5%). By contrast, purchases dropped from the US (-7.0%), the UK (-8.9%), and Indonesia (-23.4%).