Chinese demand keeps driving up New Zealand exports

WELLINGTON - China's demand for dairy products and timber drove a 14-percent year-on-year rise in New Zealand's total goods exports last month, the government statistics agency said Monday.

Goods exports rose to NZ$4.5 billion ($3.84 billion) in April, led by a 36-percent rise in exports of milk powder, butter and cheese, which were valued at NZ$1.2 billion ($1.02 billion), according to Statistics New Zealand.

Quantities showed little change from April last year, up 1.6 percent.

"Large price-driven increases in values this dairy season, compared with last, led to record total export values," international statistics manager Jason Attewell said in a statement.

"However, April 2014 is the first month since August 2013 where the export value was not a record for the month."

China was New Zealand's main export destination in April, with whole milk powder and pine logs driving up exports by NZ$246 million($210.11 million) or 38 percent from April last year.

The value of good imported by New Zealand rose by five percent to NZ$4 billion ($3.42 billion), compared with April 2013, leaving the country with a trade surplus of NZ$534 million ($456.29), or 12 percent of exports.

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