March export figures a record

Press, 6 May 1983, Page 2

March export figures a record

PA Wellington Provisional export figures of $815.8 million for March were the highest on record, leading to a $147.8 million visible trade surplus for the month, according to latest statistics.

The Government Statistician, Dr J. H. Darwin, reported yesterday that the export figures were $186.3 million above those recorded in March last year. Provisional statistics from the first nine months of the 1982-83 year show New Zealand with a visible trade deficit of S79M compared with a deficit of $562.2M at the same time last financial year.

The external trade merchandise export and import statistics for March show a visible trade surplus of $147.8M, a reversal of the position at March, 1982,

when imports exceeded exnorts by $60.7M. The last similarly high monthly visible trade surplus was in December when exports exceeded imports by $109.2M.

A visible trade surplus has now been recorded in four of the nine months of this financial year. Last financial year only three months saw a surplus and the year finished with a visible trade deficit of $866.6M. The Government Statistician said that while this March there were fluctuations over a wide range of commodities compared with the month in 1982, the provisional figures could be attributed largely to meat (SB3M), wool (S22M), animal fodders (SISM), aluminium (SI6M), hides and skins (SI2M), and fish (SI2M).