WELLINGTON, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The latest export statistics released on Thursday showed the United States had become the second largest export destination for New Zealand goods last year, with a total value of 9 billion NZ dollars, overtaking Australia but remaining behind China.
The U.S. received 12 percent of New Zealand's total exports by value in 2024, which was 9.4 percent in the year ended December 2014, according to the statistics department Stats NZ.
The value of exports to the U.S. has nearly doubled over the past decade, driven by the U.S. purchases of New Zealand meat, which now make up 3.7 percent of New Zealand's total exports, Stats NZ international accounts spokesperson Viki Ward said.
Exports of New Zealand meat to the U.S. overtook China in 2024 at 2.6 billion NZ dollars' worth of trade, up 17 percent on 2023, Ward said, adding the quantity of meat exports to the U.S., predominantly chilled and frozen beef, increased by 6.2 percent in 2024, driven by a 26 percent increase in sheep meat exports.
New Zealand dairy exports are the next largest component received by the U.S. last year, including milk powder, butter, cheese, as well as casein which is extracted from milk, Ward said.
Other major Kiwi exports to the U.S. in 2024 were wine and mechanical machinery and equipment including agricultural machinery, such as harvesting machines and grading or sorting machines for fruits, engines, and machine tools, she said.
"Although the U.S. is our second largest export partner, New Zealand ranks outside the top 50 countries from which the U.S. purchases goods," she added. (1 NZ dollar equals 0.56 U.S. dollars) ■
