Horticulture has boosted export revenue for New Zealand over the past year, prompting the Ministry for Primary Industries to predict a 3 percent rise. The ministry is hoping export revenue from the export revenue sector will rise to $36.7 billion over the year to the end of June.
Seafood exports are forecast to rise 15 percent, forestry 8 percent and meat and wool by 1 percent. Dairy revenue was predicted to fall by 6 percent to just over $13bn due to weaker prices.
While export earnings were set to rise this year, this is still $1.6bn lower than in 2014 when high dairy prices boosted overall revenue to $38.3bn.
The Ministry expected export revenue would rise to about $44bn by 2020, helped by growth across most sectors.