Tasmania’s international exports have historically been mainly composed of raw materials and their products. This pattern continued in 2002-03; among the most valuable export commodity groups were zinc (16.8%), aluminium (13.6%) and metalliferous ores and scrap (6.8%). Hardwood woodchips exports can no longer be quantified due to confidentiality restrictions from June 2000.
In 2002-03, zinc was the most valuable commodity exported: 48.0% was sent to Hong Kong, 13.4% to Taiwan and 10.4% to Indonesia. Zinc is produced from ores and concentrates from the Pasminco mines at Rosebery, and also from concentrates imported to Tasmania from mainland Australian states.
The second most valuable commodity was aluminium, of which 41.4% was sent to Korea, 18.5% to Japan, and 9.3% to Thailand. Aluminium is manufactured in Tasmania from ores and concentrates imported from mainland Australian states and overseas.
TASMANIAN OVERSEAS EXPORTS, Value
|
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | Change from
2001-02 |
| | | |
Commodity(a) | $’000 | $’000 | % |
|
Zinc | 394,163 | 412,361 | 4.6 |
Aluminium | 363,360 | 333,330 | -8.3 |
Metalliferous ores and scrap | 188,273 | 167,729 | -10.9 |
Fish, crustaceans and molluscs (including preparations thereof) | 174,885 | 163,467 | -6.5 |
Ships, boats (incl. hovercraft) and floating structures | 100,997 | 129,977 | 28.7 |
Dairy products and eggs | 114,682 | 89,319 | -22.1 |
Wood and wood products | 56,057 | 77,127 | 37.6 |
Meat and meat preparations | 75,541 | 76,057 | 0.7 |
Vegetables and fruit | 60,759 | 61,224 | 0.8 |
Textile fibres and their wastes | 23,797 | 33,189 | 39.5 |
Other | 996,886 | 908,057 | -8.9 |
Total | 2,387,806 | 2,451,837 | 2.7 |
(a) Includes the top 10 overseas exports from Tasmania by value.
Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade data base. |