Wholesale Activity Increases in June Quarter
Seasonally adjusted wholesale sales for the June 2002 quarter increased 0.5 percent, compared with the March 2002
quarter, according to latest figures from Statistics New Zealand. This follows an increase of 1.0 percent in the March
2002 quarter and a decrease of 0.2 percent in the December 2001 quarter, when compared with the previous quarter.
Petroleum and petroleum products (up $118 million), and motor vehicles wholesaling (up $100 million) had the largest
increases in seasonally adjusted sales in the June 2002 quarter compared with the March 2002 quarter. These increases
were partly offset by the large decreases in seasonally adjusted sales in primary product foods (down $269 million) and
in food and grocery products wholesaling (down $63 million).
Wholesale trade seasonally adjusted stocks for the June 2002 quarter decreased by 5.1 percent compared with the March
2002 quarter. This is the first time seasonally adjusted stocks have decreased since the March 1999 quarter.
Brian Pink Government Statistician
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