Based on the average exchange rate for 2021, the New Zealand dollar depreciated by -0.5% against the US dollar since 2017 but strengthened by 8.3% from 2020 to 2021. New Zealand’s stronger local currency compared to 2020 makes its imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from the US dollar.
Among New Zealand’s most valuable imported products are cars, crude petroleum oil, phone devices including smartphones, and computers.
From a continental perspective, 57.2% of New Zealand’s total imports by value in 2021 were purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 19% of import purchases by New Zealand while 11.8% worth of goods originated from fellow Oceanian nations led by Australia and Fiji. North American suppliers accounted for 10.3%.
Tinier percentages came from the 1.2% portion from Latin America (excluding Mexico) and the Caribbean, then the 0.5% from exporters in Africa.
Given New Zealand’s population of 5.1 million people, its total $49.5 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $9,700 in yearly product demand from every person in the Pacific Ocean island country. That per-capita amount exceeds the average $7,400 for 2020.
New Zealand’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in New Zealand’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into New Zealand.
- Vehicles: US$7.2 billion (14.5% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $6.9 billion (14%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $4.4 billion (8.8%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $3.9 billion (7.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $2 billion (4.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.6 billion (3.3%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.4 billion (2.9%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $1.2 billion (2.4%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: $1.1 billion (2.3%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $975.2 million (2%)
New Zealand’s top 10 imports accounted for 62.3% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Imported vehicles posted the fastest-growing increase in value among New Zealand’s top 10 import categories thanks to a 72% increase from 2020 to 2021.
In second place were imported articles made from iron or steel (up 58.1%), furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings (up 50.2%), pharmaceuticals (up 41.7%) then plastics both as a material and items made from plastic (up 40.4%).
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.
New Zealand’s Main Vehicles Imports
In 2021, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$4.3 billion (up 74.4% from 2020)
- Trucks: $1.5 billion (up 80.8%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $445.1 million (up 44.7%)
- Tractors: $313.6 million (up 73.9%)
- Trailers: $235.8 million (up 63.2%)
- Motorcycles: $207.7 million (up 72%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $60.1 million (up 30.3%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $56.7 million (up 38.7%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $49.5 million (up 62.5%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $43.3 million (up 98.1%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 98.1%), trucks (up 80.8%) then cars (up 74.4%) 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 vehicles-related imports among New Zealand businesses and consumers.
New Zealand’s Main Machinery Imports
In 2021, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$1.1 billion (up 18.4% from 2020)
- Turbo-jets: $767.5 million (up 3%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $477.8 million (up 99%)
- Air conditioners: $266.5 million (up 64%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $238.9 million (up 31.6%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $231 million (up 53.7%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $224.4 million (up 41.8%)
- Harvest/threshing machinery: $208 million (up 59.6%)
- Pneumatic hand tool: $191.3 million (up 40.5%)
- Machinery parts: $189.6 million (up 29.1%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 99%), air conditioners (up 64%) then harvest or threshing machinery (up 59.6%) 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 machinery-related imports including computers among New Zealand businesses and consumers.
New Zealand’s Main Electronics Imports
In 2021, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical goods including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$1.3 billion (up 21.1% from 2020)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $332.4 million (up 44.7%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $325.7 million (up 74.7%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $273.4 million (up 37.9%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $212.4 million (up 25.9%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $209.5 million (up 41.8%)
- Microphones/headphones/amplifiers: $197.6 million (up 25.1%)
- Electrical machinery: $140.9 million (up 56.5%)
- TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $126.5 million (up 12.4%)
- Electric storage batteries: $98.6 million (up 36.4%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of insulated wire or cable (up 74.7%), electrical machinery (up 56.5%) then television receivers, monitors and projectors (up 44.7%) 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 electronics-related imports among New Zealand businesses and consumers.
New Zealand’s Main Mineral Fuels Imports
In 2021, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Crude oil: US$1.9 billion (up 25.7% from 2020)
- Processed petroleum oils: $1.8 billion (up 20.9%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $117 million (up 85.5%)
- Petroleum gases: $37.8 million (up 150.4%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $13.3 million (down -29.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $7.6 million (up 19.3%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $7.5 million (up 26.8%)
- Peat: $5.5 million (up 71.9%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $1.1 million (down -34.2%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $496,000 (down -13.1%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of petroleum gases (up 150.4%), petroleum oil residues (up 85.5%) then peat (up 71.9%) 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 mineral fuels-related imports among New Zealand businesses and consumers.
See also New Zealand’s Top Trade Partners, New Zealand’s Top 10 Exports and Top Oceanian Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World FactbookCountry Profiles. Accessed on March 22, 2022
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on March 22, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 22, 2022
Wikipedia, List of companies of New Zealand. Accessed on March 22, 2022
