2. Imports and Exports
Information in this section is derived from two different areas:
- IT hardware import and exports are measured at the border by the Customs Department as goods leave or enter the country for the 12 months to December 2001, provided by Statistics New Zealand (Statistics NZ 2002a); and
- A survey of IT businesses is conducted by Statistics New Zealand which measures both IT hardware and software exports (Statistics NZ 2002b).
The survey, now in its eighth year, is sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Development, the Information Technology Association of New Zealand (ITANZ), Trade New Zealand, and Statistics New Zealand.
The reference period for the survey was the 2000/2001 accounting year. For enterprises with balance dates falling between 1 January and 30 September, this is financial data for the year ending 2001. For enterprises with balance dates falling between 1 October and 31 December, this is financial data for year ending 2000.
Since 1998 the survey has attempted to provide better coverage of activity than previous surveys by including business units where IT activity is a secondary activity. The survey only covers IT businesses with more than two full time equivalent staff, which will tend to cause the survey to underestimate the actual export figures.
Note that information from the two sources (Customs and the Statistics New Zealand survey) cannot be directly compared because of differences in the treatment of export costs such as freight and insurance, and restrictions imposed by the sample used for the survey.
2.1 Hardware Imports (Updated)
Figures 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 summarise New Zealand IT hardware imports for the last decade, based on Customs figures (Statistics NZ 2002a). The 2001 year shows an overall 13.8% decrease in IT hardware imports from 2000 (compared with a 25.4% increase the year before), comprising 4.5% for Computing Hardware and Parts, 26% for Wireless Communications Hardware and 15.6% for Telecommunications Hardware. Despite this fall, imports of Wireless Communications Hardware were still significantly greater in 2001 than they were in 1999 or at any time during the 1990s.
Figure 2.1.1: IT Related Hardware Imports by Type
(Statistics NZ 2002a)
The information in the previous figure is reproduced in Figure 2.1.2 subdivided by source, showing that the bulk of IT hardware imports come from Asia and North America. In 2001, imports from North America decreased by 31.3% (after increasing by 81% the year before) and are now approximately two thirds of those from Asia, which decreased by a modest 2%. There was a decrease of 21% in imports from Australia and an increase of 11% from the "Rest of the World" (from a rather low base). Imports from Europe fell by 5% after a decrease of 19% the year before.
Figure 2.1.2: IT Related Hardware Imports by Source
(Statistics NZ 2002a)
2.2 Hardware Exports (Updated)
The following three figures show export figures based on Customs data (Statistics NZ 2002a).
Figure 2.2.1 shows a summary of New Zealand IT hardware exports since 1990. The up and down nature of IT hardware exports continued last year with a fall of 10.6% after a rise of 24% the year before. Exports of Computing Hardware and Parts decreased by 3%, Wireless Communications Hardware by 17%, whist Telecommunications Hardware exports increased by 6%.
Figure 2.2.1: IT Related Hardware Exports by Type
(Statistics NZ 2002a)
Figure 2.2.2 shows just the contribution of Computer Hardware and Parts. This category decreased by 2.6% in 2001. Until 1998 growth averaged approximately 30% per annum but since then growth in this area has levelled out.
Figure 2.2.2: Computer Hardware and Parts Exports
(Statistics NZ 2002a)
In Figure 2.2.3, the total IT hardware exports are shown split by export destination. The fall in 1999 exports was due primarily to large decreases in exports to Asia and Europe, partly offset by an increase in exports to North America. In 2001, there was a 31% decrease in exports to Asia, after a 78% increase the year before. Imports to Europe increased by 5.4% whilst exports to Asia fell by 30.3% after a 78% increase the year before.
Figure 2.2.3: IT Related Exports by Destination
(Statistics NZ 2002a)
Figure 2.2.4 is based on the 2001 Statistics New Zealand survey of IT firms (Statistics NZ 2002b). Note that these data are not directly comparable to the IT hardware export data captured at the border, and given earlier in this paper (for example, Figures 2.2.1 and 2.2.2). The overall figures do, however, follow similar trends until 2001. In 2001 the two sets of figures have diverged sharply, the survey figures (Statistics NZ 2002b) showing a gain of 23% over 2000 whilst the customs figures (Statistics NZ 2002a) showed a fall of 10.6%.
Figure 2.2.4: IT Hardware Exports
(Statistics NZ 2002b)
Note: Figure for 1994 combines both categories. Some totals may not add because of rounding.
2.3 Software and Services Exports (Updated)
The information in this section is taken from the Statistics New Zealand survey of IT firms (Statistics NZ 2002b). Figure 2.3.1 shows exports of Software, Communications Services and Computing & Education Services over the past four years. Note that figures for Communications Services were not available this year and were not available prior to 1997.
Figure 2.3.1: Exports of Software, Communications Services and Computing & Education Services
(Statistics NZ 2002b)
Figure 2.3.2 shows the growth in Software and non-communications Services from 1994. Except for a drop in Software exports in 1997, both software and services have increased rapidly over the period of the survey, with an increase of 56% in 1998 over 1997, followed by a further 44% increase in 1999. The growth since 1999 has slowed but still amounted to 4.7% in 2000 and 4% in 2001.
Figure 2.3.2: Software and Computer & Education Services Exports
(Statistics NZ 2002b)
Note: The 1994 figure combines both categories. Some totals may not add because of rounding.
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