Trade and economic links

New Zealand and Mexico have a mutually beneficial trading relationship. We have complementary export profiles, with manufactured goods the majority of Mexico’s exports, and agricultural products the majority of New Zealand’s exports. Since the early 1970s, Mexico has consistently been New Zealand’s top Latin American trading partner.

New Zealand exports to Mexico in the year to December 2008 were worth NZ$431.6 million, consisting primarily of dairy products and meat. Mexican exports to New Zealand, mostly telephone equipment, computers and beer, were worth NZ$184.4 million.

In November 2006, the Joint Experts Group Study on the Strengthening of Bilateral Economic Relations was presented to ministers. The Joint Experts Group was comprised of officials, academics and businesspeople from both New Zealand and Mexico. The study concluded that there was a great deal of unrealised potential in the bilateral trade and economic relationship, and suggested three options for taking this relationship forward.