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International merchandise trade statistics cover all movable goods which add to (imports) or subtract from (exports) Australia's stock of material resources. The statistics are compiled from information submitted by importers and exporters to the Australian Customs Service. Some goods are excluded for conceptual or practical reasons, for example, those goods temporarily brought to Australia for subsequent forwarding to foreign destinations, and low-value imports and exports in the parcel post system.

The data about merchandise exports and imports are used in the compilation of the balance of payments. However, various adjustments relating to coverage, timing, classification and valuation are necessary to put international merchandise trade statistics on a balance of payments basis. Consequently, the merchandise exports and imports statistics, and the excess of exports (+) or imports (-), shown in this section differ from those shown in International accounts.

Conceptual framework

Australia's international merchandise trade statistics are compiled in broad agreement with the UN recommendations for the compilation of international merchandise trade statistics. More information on the concepts, sources and methods used is included in International Merchandise Trade, Australia: Concepts, Sources and Methods (5489.0).

The UN recommendations state that merchandise trade covers all movable goods which add to (imports) or subtract from (exports) the stock of material resources of a country as a result of their movement into or out of the country.

The UN definition excludes:

• direct transit trade, that is, goods being transhipped or moved through Australia for purposes of transport only

• ships and aircraft moving through Australia while engaged in the transport of passengers or goods between Australia and other countries

• non-merchandise trade, consisting primarily of goods moving on a temporary basis (e.g. mobile equipment, goods under repair and goods for exhibition).

• the UN Standard International Trade Classification (SITC Rev. 3) which groups goods according to the degree of processing they have undergone, from food and crude raw materials through to highly transformed manufactures

• the UN Classification by BEC which classifies international trade for the purposes of general economic analysis according to the main end use of the commodities traded.

30.15 TOTAL MERCHANDISE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS
	Exports	Imports	Merchandise trade balance(a)
	$m	$m	$m
1998-99	85,991	97,611	-11,620
1999-2000	97,286	110,078	-12,792
2000-01	119,539	118,317	1,222
2001-02	121,108	119,649	1,459
2002-03	115,479	133,129	-17,650
2003-04	108,906	131,020	-22,114
(a) A negative sign indicates that merchandise imports exceed merchandise exports. Source: International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (5368.0).

• mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, down $3.4b (14%)

• machinery and transport equipment, down $1.6b (12%)

• manufactured goods classified chiefly by material, down $1.3b (10%)

• crude materials, inedible, except fuels, down $0.7b (3%).

• commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere, up $0.4b (3%)

• chemicals and related products nes, up $0.2b (4%).

• commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere, down $0.8b (22%)

• mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, down $0.5b (5%)

• manufactured goods classified chiefly by material, down $0.3b (2%)

• machinery and transport equipment, down $0.3b (0.5%).

30.17 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS, By commodity(a)
	Exports			Imports
	2002-03	2003-04	Share of total for 2003-04	2002-03	2003-04	Share of total for 2003-04
Standard International Trade Classification (SITC)	$m	$m	%	$m	$m	%
Food and live animals	18,400	18,221	16.7	5,109	5,016	3.8
Beverages and tobacco	2,724	2,700	2.5	1,062	900	0.7
Crude materials, inedible, except fuels	21,466	20,789	19.1	1,954	1,931	1.5
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials	23,803	20,434	18.8	10,600	10,092	7.7
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes	324	358	0.3	364	368	0.3
Chemical and related products, n.e.s.	5,094	5,298	4.9	15,024	15,075	11.5
Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material	12,608	11,357	10.4	16,073	15,759	12.0
Machinery and transport equipment	13,530	11,942	11.0	60,636	60,355	46.1
Miscellaneous manufactured articles	4,414	4,278	3.9	18,716	18,706	14.3
Commodities and transactions not classified elsewhere in the SITC(b)(c)	13,118	13,528	12.4	3,592	2,817	2.2
Total	115,479	108,906	100.0	133,129	131,020	100.0
(a) Excludes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. (b) Includes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. (c) Includes small value export entries that cannot yet be allocated by commodity. Source: International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (5368.0).

30.18 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS OF MAJOR COMMODITIES
	2002-03	2003-04	Share of total merchandise exports 2003-04
Commodity (SITC 3-digit code)	$m	$m	%
Coal, not agglomerated (321)	11,940	10,893	10.0
Gold, non-monetary (excl. gold ores and concentrates) (971)	5,584	5,651	5.2
Iron ore and concentrates (281)	5,342	5,216	4.8
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude (333)	5,882	4,643	4.3
Meat of bovine animals, fresh, chilled or frozen (011)	3,907	3,917	3.6
Aluminium (684)	4,059	3,803	3.5
Aluminium ores and concentrates (incl. alumina) (285)	3,590	3,710	3.4
Wheat (incl. spelt) and meslin, unmilled (041)	3,036	3,398	3.1
Motor vehicles principally designed for transport of persons (excl. public-transport type, incl. racing cars) (781)	2,797	2,927	2.7
Alcoholic beverages (112)(a)	2,575	2,594	2.4
Wool and other animal hair (incl. wool tops) (268)(a)	3,300	2,489	2.3
Natural gas (343)	2,607	2,175	2.0
Medicaments (incl. veterinary medicaments) (542)	1,725	2,167	2.0
Petroleum oils, oils from bituminous minerals (not crude); preparations, with 70% or more by weight of these oils (334)	2,453	1,978	1.8
Meat and edible meat offal (excl. bovine), suitable or fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled or frozen (012)	1,661	1,704	1.6
Ores and concentrates of base metal (excl. iron, copper, nickel, aluminium, uranium and thorium) (287)	1,220	1,321	1.2
Copper (682)	1,327	1,286	1.2
Copper ores and concentrates; copper mattes, cement copper (283)	1,051	1,243	1.1
Milk and cream and milk products (excl. butter and cheese) (022)	1,346	1,241	1.1
Total of all other commodities(b)	50,078	46,549	41.7
Total	115,479	108,906	100.0
(a) Excludes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. (b) Includes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. Source: International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (5368.0).

30.19 MERCHANDISE IMPORTS OF MAJOR COMMODITIES
	2002-03	2003-04	Share of total merchandise imports 2003-04
Commodity (SITC 3-digit code)	$m	$m	%
Motor vehicles principally designed for transport of persons (excl. public-transport type, incl. racing cars) (781)	10,283	11,217	8.6
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude (333)	7,814	6,321	4.8
Automatic data processing machines & units thereof, magnetic, optical readers; data transcribers & processors (752)	4,871	5,127	3.9
Medicaments (incl. veterinary medicaments) (542)	4,241	4,898	3.7
Telecommunications equipment, n.e.s.; parts, and accessories of radio, television, video & similar apparatus, n.e.s. (764)	4,238	4,359	3.3
Aircraft and associated equipment; spacecraft (incl. satellites and spacecraft launch vehicles; parts thereof) (792)	5,481	3,818	2.9
Petroleum oils, oils from bituminous minerals (not crude); preparations, with 70% or more by weight of these oils (334)(a)	2,409	3,311	2.5
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special purpose motor vehicles (782)	2,888	3,116	2.4
Gold, non-monetary (excl. gold ores and concentrates) (971)	2,959	2,544	1.9
Parts and accessories (excl. covers, cases and the like) for use with office & automatic data processing mach. (759)	2,376	2,148	1.6
Parts, nes and accessories of the motor vehicles of Groups 722, 781, 782 and 783 (784)	2,311	2,109	1.6
Paper and paperboard (641)	2,076	2,029	1.6
Measuring, checking, analysing and controlling instruments and apparatus, n.e.s. (874)	1,881	1,961	1.5
Electrical machinery and apparatus, n.e.s. (778)	1,895	1,799	1.4
Civil engineering and contractors' plant and equipment (723)	1,541	1,731	1.3
Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings (821)	1,487	1,584	1.2
Baby carriages, toys, games and sporting goods (894)	1,715	1,581	1.2
Internal combustion piston engines, and parts thereof, n.e.s. (713)	1,697	1,577	1.2
Heating and cooling equipment, and parts thereof, n.e.s. (741)	1,521	1,555	1.2
Household type, electrical and non-electrical equipment, n.e.s. (775)	1,459	1,483	1.1
Sound recorders or reproducers; television image and sound recorders or reproducers; prepared unrecorded media (763)	1,090	1,321	1.0
Televisions (incl. video monitors & projectors) (761)	1,068	1,305	1.0
Total of all other commodities(b)	65,831	64,126	48.9
Total	133,129	131,020	100.0
(a) Excludes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. (b) Includes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. Source: International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (5368.0).

• Singapore - trade deficit of $2.1b, a turnaround of $2.3b on the previous year's surplus due to a $1.6b decrease in exports and a $0.7b increase in imports. The main commodities contributing to the decrease in exports are petroleum, petroleum products and related materials (down $0.9b) and non-monetary gold (down $0.3b). The increase in imports was due mainly to petroleum, petroleum products and related materials (up $0.9b).

• United Kingdom - trade deficit of $0.3b, a turnaround of $1.8b on the previous year's surplus due to a $2.1b decrease in exports and a $0.3b decrease in imports. The main commodities contributing to the decrease in exports are non-monetary gold (down $0.9b) and special transactions and commodities not classified according to kind (down $0.8b). The decrease in imports was spread across many commodities.

• Japan - trade surplus fell by $1.7b to $3.7b due to a $1.9b decrease in exports. For exports, decreases were recorded for petroleum, petroleum products and related materials (down $0.5b) coal, coke and briquettes (down $0.3b) gas, natural and manufactured (down $0.3b) and non-ferrous metals (down $0.2b) which were partly offset by an increase in exports of meat and meat preparations (up $0.4b).

• United States of America - trade deficit fell by $1.6b due to a $2.6b decrease in imports partly offset by $0.9b decrease in exports. This decrease in imports is largely due to a decrease in imports of aircraft and associated equipment and parts (down $1.7b) after an unusually high figure in 2002-03.

• India - trade surplus increased by $2.3b due to a $2.3b increase in exports. Non-monetary gold (up $2.3b) was the major contributor to the increase in exports.

• APEC - Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Indonesia, Japan, Republic of (South) Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United States of America and Vietnam. Peru, Russian Federation and Vietnam are included from 1998-99.

• ASEAN - Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Burma and Laos are included from July 1997. Cambodia is included from April 1999.

• EU - Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

• OECD - Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of (South) Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America. Czech Republic and Hungary are included from January 1996 and Republic of (South) Korea and Poland are included from 1996-97.

30.22 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS, By country and country group(a)
	Exports		Imports		Balance of trade
	2002-03	2003-04	2002-03	2003-04	2003-04
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Belgium-Luxembourg	840	668	1,153	1,239	-571
Brazil	413	510	490	494	16
Canada	1,837	1,806	1,755	1,818	-12
China (excl. SARs & Taiwan Prov.)	8,803	9,912	13,789	15,339	-5,427
Denmark	125	167	770	857	-690
Egypt(a)	370	649	20	36	613
Fiji	543	429	222	210	219
Finland	457	575	680	651	-76
France	1,172	925	3,781	3,816	-2,891
Germany	1,585	1,309	7,952	7,985	-6,676
Hong Kong (SAR of China)	3,214	2,751	1,234	1,202	1,549
India	2,576	4,861	979	1,000	3,861
Indonesia	2,911	2,983	4,600	3,766	-783
Iran	407	125	40	43	82
Iraq	360	315	37	-	315
Ireland	183	171	1,607	1,686	-1,515
Israel	194	160	481	470	-310
Italy	1,861	1,376	4,148	4,216	-2,840
Japan	21,727	19,798	16,337	16,101	3,697
Korea, Republic of (South)	9,115	8,473	4,753	4,878	3,595
Kuwait	518	580	184	110	470
Malaysia	2,146	2,225	4,261	4,705	-2,480
Mexico	430	340	572	603	-263
Netherlands	1,364	1,363	1,283	1,197	166
New Zealand	8,127	8,080	5,019	5,056	3,024
Pakistan	285	439	192	161	278
Papua New Guinea	950	808	1,502	1,417	-609
Philippines	1,091	931	839	762	169
Saudi Arabia	1,991	1,992	1,284	756	1,236
Singapore	4,658	3,056	4,370	5,107	-2,051
South Africa	1,314	1,429	1,060	1,246	183
Spain	668	650	1,047	1,103	-453
Sweden	211	223	1,810	1,739	-1,516
Switzerland	378	181	1,230	1,190	-1,009
Taiwan	4,310	3,701	3,376	3,395	306
Thailand	2,479	2,465	3,471	3,675	-1,210
Turkey	298	277	223	262	15
United Arab Emirates	1,234	1,184	755	742	442
United Kingdom	7,234	5,132	5,769	5,430	-298
United States of America	10,365	9,453	22,494	19,945	-10,492
Vietnam	472	511	2,505	2,023	-1,512
Others countries(b)	6,262	5,923	5,055	4,589	1,334
Total	115,479	108,906	133,129	131,020	-22,114
APEC	83,022	77,692	92,245	91,094	-13,402
ASEAN	13,855	12,263	20,749	20,555	-8,292
EU	15,864	12,722	31,397	31,026	-18,304
OECD	68,360	61,263	84,750	81,861	-20,598
(a) Exports of alumina to Egypt are excluded from its country total and included in the 'Other Countries' category. (b) Others include: all countries not displayed in table; Zone of Co-op A-Timor Gap; Destination or Origin Unknown; International Waters; No country details; Confidentialised alumina exports; and Ship and aircraft stores. Source: International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia (5368.0).

30.23 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS, By industry of origin
		Exports			Imports
		2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Industry of origin		$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
	Agriculture	10,643	8,544	8,409	575	870	678
	Services to agriculture; hunting and trapping	1,710	1,249	1,061	8	8	8
	Forestry and logging	100	116	125	6	7	6
	Commercial fishing	972	929	724	164	181	141
	Total	13,425	10,838	10,319	753	1,066	832
Mining
	Coal mining	13,407	11,943	10,896	12	13	13
	Oil and gas extraction	9,298	9,346	7,466	6,904	7,893	6,488
	Metal ore mining	9,541	9,716	9,842	173	191	228
	Other mining	261	255	255	171	163	202
	Total	32,507	31,261	28,460	7,259	8,260	6,931
Manufacturing
	Food, beverage and tobacco	17,538	15,721	15,363	5,387	5,961	5,905
	Textile, clothing, footwear and leather	2,740	2,759	2,171	7,420	7,842	7,372
	Wood and paper products	1,783	1,883	1,870	3,473	3,759	3,708
	Printing, publishing and recorded media	577	585	550	2,020	2,193	2,048
	Petroleum, coal, chemical and associated products	8,182	8,028	7,827	20,052	21,247	22,071
	Non-metallic mineral products	332	325	300	1,472	1,630	1,608
	Metal products	20,301	19,518	18,803	8,416	9,925	9,609
	Machinery and equipment	16,714	15,814	14,122	59,155	66,285	66,144
	Other manufacturing	944	1,176	1,217	3,767	4,199	4,401
	Total	69,111	65,810	62,224	111,162	123,041	122,867
Other(a)(b)		6,066	7,571	7,903	475	763	389
Total		121,108	115,479	108,906	119,649	133,129	131,020
(a) Includes exports which cannot yet be allocated by industry of origin. (b) Includes commodities subject to a confidentiality restriction. Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade.