The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Australia’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Australia.

1. Machinery including computers: US$36.8 billion (14.8% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $33.3 billion (13.4%)
3. Electrical machinery, equipment: $28.1 billion (11.3%)
4. Mineral fuels including oil: $25.7 billion (10.4%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $10.7 billion (4.3%)
6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $9.3 billion (3.7%)
7. Gems, precious metals: $7.7 billion (3.1%)
8. Plastics, plastic articles: $7.3 billion (2.9%)
9. Articles of iron or steel: $5.6 billion (2.3%)
10. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: $5.6 billion (2.2%)

Australia’s top 10 imports accounted for over two-thirds (68.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

The fastest increases in value among the top 10 import categories from 2020 to 2021 belong to mineral fuels including (up 51.2%), vehicles (up 39.9%) and items made from iron or steel (up 26.6%).

The sole decliner for top Australian imports was the gems and precious metals category (down -11.9%) weighed down by lower spending on gold.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

In 2021, Australian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$8.2 billion (up 14.1% from 2020)
2. Heavy machinery (e.g. bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $2.4 billion (up 46.6%)
3. Machinery parts: $1.6 billion (up 9.8%)
4. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.5 billion (up 22.8%)
5. Refrigerators, freezers: $1.3 billion (up 18.6%)
6. Miscellaneous machinery: $1.3 billion (up 36.9%)
7. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1.2 billion (up 3.5%)
8. Air conditioners: $1.2 billion (up 17.5%)
9. Harvest/threshing machinery: $1.2 billion (up 58.6%)
10. Turbo-jets: $1.2 billion (up 15.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Australian purchases of harvesting and threshing machinery (up 58.6%), heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators or road rollers (up 46.6%) then miscellaneous machinery (up 36.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Australian businesses and consumers.

In 2021, Australian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.

1. Cars: US$17.6 billion (up 36.9% from 2020)
2. Trucks: $8.8 billion (up 49.9%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $2.4 billion (up 33%)
4. Tractors: $1.3 billion (up 46.1%)
5. Trailers: $888.5 million (up 61.7%)
6. Motorcycles: $785.6 million (up 70.2%)
7. Special purpose vehicles: $398.4 million (up 36.6%)
8. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $278.2 million (up 20.6%)
9. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $198.5 million (up 24.2%)
10. Armored vehicles, tanks: $152.9 million (down -5.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Australian purchases of motorcycles (up 70.2%), trailers (up 61.7%) then trucks (up 49.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Australian businesses and consumers.

In 2021, Australian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics-related products.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$9.1 billion (up 15.6% from 2020)
2. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $2.2 billion (up 24.4%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $1.5 billion (up 35.5%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $1.5 billion (up 14.9%)
5. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $1.4 billion (up 16.5%)
6. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $1.2 billion (up 13.8%)
7. Electric storage batteries: $1.2 billion (up 53.8%)
8. Microphones/headphones/amps: $1.1 billion (up 10%)
9. TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $974.4 million (up 28.6%)
10. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $795.7 million (up 17.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Australian purchases of electric storage batteries (up 53.8%), insulated wire or cable (up 35.5%) then television receivers, transmitters and digital cameras (up 28.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Australian businesses and consumers.

In 2021, Australian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuel-related products.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$19 billion (up 66.3% from 2020)
2. Crude oil: $5.6 billion (up 17.4%)
3. Petroleum oil residues: $651 million (up 38.9%)
4. Petroleum gases: $216.2 million (up 38.4%)
5. Coke, semi-coke: $112.5 million (up 96.5%)
6. Tar pitch, coke: $51.4 million (up 39.3%)
7. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $37 million (up 28.2%)
8. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $24.6 million (up 6.9%)
9. Peat: $18.4 million (up 27.6%)
10. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $18.1 million (down -38.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Australian purchases of coke or semi-coke (up 96.5%), processed petroleum oils (up 66.3%) then tar pitch and coke (up 39.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fuel among Australian businesses and consumers.