WELLINGTON, Jun 24 (NNN-RNZ) – New Zealand’s total exports were valued at 7.2 billion NZ dollars (4.4 billion U.S. dollars) in May, a record high for monthly exports, according to the statistics department Stats NZ, today.
The previous high for monthly exports was 6.95 billion NZ dollars (4.25 billion U.S. dollars) in May 2023, Stats NZ said.
“May months are typically a peak time for exports, being the height of the fruit season, and strong periods for meat, dairy, and vegetable exports,” Stats NZ international trade manager, Alasdair Allen, said.
The rise in exports in May, which was 202 million NZ dollars (123.44 million U.S. dollars), was led by an increase in exports to the United States, up 255 million NZ dollars (155.83 million U.S. dollars) from May 2023, to one billion NZ dollars (610 million U.S. dollars), Allen said.
This was a record number for monthly exports to the United States, New Zealand’s second-biggest export market, with an annual value of 8.8 billion NZ dollars (5.38 billion U.S. dollars) for the year ending May, 2024, he said.
China was New Zealand’s number one market for exports, with an annual value of 17.9 billion NZ dollars (10.94 billion U.S. dollars) for the year ending May, 2024, he added.– NNN-RNZ
Leading the rise in exports to the United States was beef, up 31 percent in May 2024 from May 2023, statistics show.
