Year over year, the overall cost for products imported into New Zealand declined by -6.2% from $50 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the New Zealand dollar depreciated by -1.5% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. New Zealand’s weaker local currency made its imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the New Zealand dollar.
At the more detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, New Zealand’s most valuable imported products are processed petroleum oils, cars, turbo-jets, phone devices including smartphones, trucks, computers, medication mixes in dosage, aircraft and spacecraft, electro-medical equipment including xrays, then miscellaneous food preparations.
Collectively, that leading cohort generated almost two-fifths (36.2%) of New Zealand’s total spending on imported goods for 2024.
Best Suppliers for New Zealand’s Imports
The latest available country-specific data shows that 80% of products exported from New Zealand was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (21.4% of New Zealand’s total), Australia (11%), United States of America (10.5%), South Korea (8.7%), Japan (5.6%), Singapore (5%), Germany (4.1%), Thailand (3.7%), United Kingdom (2.92%), Malaysia (2.88%), Vietnam (2.2%) and Italy (2.1%).
From a continental perspective, 56.5% of New Zealand’s total imports by value in 2024 were purchased from Asian countries. Trade partners located in Europe supplied 18.2% of import purchases by New Zealand. Meanwhile 12.1% worth of goods originated from North America.
Suppliers located in fellow Oceanian nations led by Australia accounted for another 11.4% of New Zealand’s spending on imported products.
Smaller percentages were the 1.2% portion from sellers in Latin America (excluding Mexico) and the Caribbean, then the 0.5% from exporters in Africa.
Given New Zealand’s population of 5.4 million people, its total $46.9 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $8,750 in yearly product demand from every person in the Pacific Ocean island country. That per-capita amount lags the average $9,600 for 2023.
New Zealand’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in New Zealand’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into New Zealand.
- Machinery including computers: US$6.6 billion (14% of total imports)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $6.3 billion (13.5%)
- Vehicles: $5.2 billion (11.1%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $4.3 billion (9.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $1.7 billion (3.6%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $1.6 billion (3.4%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $1.4 billion (3%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $1.2 billion (2.6%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $998.4 million (2.1%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting , signs, prefab buildings: $866.1 million (1.8%)
New Zealand’s top 10 import product categories generated nearly two-thirds (64.4%) of the overall value of New Zealander product purchases from other countries.
Imported aircraft and spacecraft posted the strongest growth in value among New Zealand’s top 10 import categories, thanks to its 16.5% increase from 2023 to 2024.
In second place was the food industry waste and animal fodder category (up 12.6%).
The third-strongest advance was the 2.9% upturn for plastics, both as materials and items made from plastic.
The worst year-over-year decliners were for New Zealander imports of vehicles (down -25% from 2023), mineral fuels including oil (down -13.2%), then pharmaceuticals (down -5%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
New Zealand’s Main Machinery Imports
In 2024, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Miscellaneous machinery: US$238.4 million (up 29.6% from 2023)
- Computers, optical readers: $1 billion (up 8.5%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $238.4 million (up 29.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $212.4 million (down -1.3%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $196.5 million (down -1.7%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $194.6 million (down -2.7%)
- Temperature-change machines: $186 million (up 17%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $179.6 million (down -47.7%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $177.3 million (down -9%)
- Air conditioners: $172.2 million (down -5.3%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of miscellaneous machinery (up 29.6%), turbo-jets (up 26.9%) then temperature-change machines (up 17%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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 Mineral Fuels Imports
In 2024, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$6.1 billion (down -13.4% from 2023)
- Petroleum oil residues: $128.1 million (down -25.3%)
- Petroleum gases: $51.5 million (up 21.3%)
- Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $45.9 million (up 41.7%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $11.2 million (up 74.2%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $6.4 million (up 5.5%)
- Peat: $3.3 million (down -13.6%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.8 million (down -36.6%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $1.8 million (down -25.4%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $823,000 (down -3.6%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 74.2%), asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 41.7%) then petroleum gases (up 21.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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.
New Zealand’s Main Vehicles Imports
In 2024, New Zealand importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$3.1 billion (down -26.6% from 2023)
- Trucks: $1 billion (down -18.9%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $371.9 million (down -3.2%)
- Trailers: $191.2 million (down -16.9%)
- Tractors: $184.2 million (down -52.9%)
- Motorcycles: $111.6 million (down -34.3%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $59.2 million (up 4.4%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $46 million (up 8.2%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $40.9 million (down -14.6%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $25.8 million (down -40.5%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of special purpose vehicles (up 8.2%) and public-transport vehicles grew from 2023 to 2024.
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 Electronics Imports
In 2024, 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 (down -8.4% from 2023)
- Electrical converters/power units: $305 million (up 13.5%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $255 million (up 8.6%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $238.9 million (down -0.1%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $230.6 million (up 2.5%)
- Microphones/headphones/amps: $203.8 million (up 7.2%)
- Electric storage batteries: $189.1 million (up 62.2%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $177.7 million (down -3.7%)
- Electrical machinery: $153.8 million (down -0.8%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $148.4 million (up 23.5%)
Among these import subcategories, New Zealand’s purchases of electric storage batteries (up 62.2%), electrical and optical circuit boards or panels (up 23.5%) then electrical converters and power units (up 13.5%) recorded double-digit increases from 2023 to 2024.
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.
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 April 14, 2025
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on April 14, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 14, 2025
Wikipedia, List of companies of New Zealand. Accessed on April 14, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: New Zealand Dollar to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on April 14, 2025