(MENAFN) On Thursday, Jan. 28, the statistics department Stats NZ stated that New Zealand's major commodities export, dairy produce, dropped 377 million NZ dollars (USD270 million), or 19 percent, during December last year, in comparison with the very month in 2019.

Stats NZ reported that the decline in dairy exports was principally because of a drop in sales to New Zealand's largest export market, China.

Overall dairy exports to China declined 21 percent to around USD527 million during December last year. It noted that this was led by drops in milk powder.

According to a report by international trade manager Alasdair Allen: "This is also the first time in six years that there has been a fall in dairy product exports to China in the December month."