NZ terms of trade falls to lowest since March 2010 as dairy prices sink
Sept. 3 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand's terms of trade fell to the lowest level since the first quarter of 2010, with the
biggest contribution coming from the fourth consecutive quarterly slide in dairy prices.
The terms of trade fell 2.6 percent in the three months ended June 30, according to Statistics New Zealand. That marked
the fourth quarterly decline and exceeded the 2 percent drop forecast in a Reuters survey. Merchandise export volumes
fell 0.4 percent against expectations of a 0.9 percent gain.
Fonterra Cooperative Group, the world’s largest dairy exporter, has lowered its forecast 2013 payment to farmers in the
face of falling global commodity prices and a persistently high New Zealand dollar. Its latest GlobalDairyTrade auction
is held this week.
Today’s government figures show export prices for goods fell 1 percent while import prices rose 1.7 percent. That means
New Zealand could buy 2.6 percent less merchandise goods for a fixed amount of exports in the second quarter than it
could in the first quarter.
The New Zealand dollar traded at 80.07 US cents, little changed from 80.11 cents immediately before the figures were
released. The trade-weighted index was at 71.95, from 71.99.
Among dairy products, milk powder fell 2.7 percent in the latest quarter, butter was down 4.1 percent and cheese fell
1.1 percent.
Meat prices declined 2.3 percent, making the second-largest contribution to the decline, led by a 7.6 percent drop in
lamb.
Petroleum import prices rose 8.4 percent, leading the gain in import prices. Excluding fuels, import prices rose just
0.3 percent last quarter.
Dairy products and fish made the biggest contribution to the decline in export volumes while non-fuel crude materials
volumes rose. Merchandise import volumes fell 3.1 percent.
(BusinessDesk)