Statistics New Zealand's business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly said the seasonally adjusted total wholesale trade sales were up 0.7% in the quarter to December, having risen 1.2% for the quarter to September and 1.8% in the quarter to June last year.
''Sales of fruit for exports were higher than usual for a December quarter,'' Mr Kelly said, noting that quarter was non-peak season for fruit exports.
Wholesale trade covers intermediary transactions between manufacturers and consumers, which feeds into the national accounts and is used by economists to predict wider economic activity.
Central Otago provided about 95% of the cherries exported from New Zealand.
In early January, Central Otago orchardists took a hit from rain damage, but most were confident the export crop would surpass last year's 1400 tonnes.
Some had speculated earlier in the season exports would reach 3000 tonnes, but the rain damage may prompt a decline to about 2500 tonnes.
In early February, Pipfruit New Zealand estimated that for the 2016 season there would be $26.6million in apple exports from Central Otago, up from $25.6million in 2015 and double its 2012 haul of $13million.
New Zealand is expected to ship 19.5 million export cartons, up 5.5% on last year, totalling $700million.
Mr Kelly said that the trend for wholesale trade sales had generally been increasing since late 2009.
The actual value of wholesale trade sales for the quarter was $25.9billion, almost $1billion up, or 3.8%, from the same quarter in 2015.
When adjusted for seasonal effects, four of the six wholesaling industries rose in the December quarter, Mr Kelly said.
The largest industry increase was in grocery, liquor, and tobacco products wholesaling, which was up 2%, or $150million, from the previous quarter and includes fruit exports.
The other industries with large sales movements were machinery and equipment, up by 1.7% or $79million, and other goods wholesaling, down 1.9% or $76 million.
- Additional reporting BusinessDesk
