Figures released to the Otago Daily Times from the Department of Labour show more than 40,000 working holiday-makers applied to visit the country for the 2008-09 year, a 13% increase from the previous year.
New Zealand Summerfruit chairman Gary Bennetts, of Roxburgh, said working holiday-makers were a valuable asset for the burgeoning Central Otago summer fruit and vineyard industries.
"It is not a career option; it is very much seasonal work.
But these holiday-makers come here, pick for two weeks and earn as much as they can.
They are very important to us."
A decline in the number of working holiday-makers several years ago resulted in some fruit not being picked and he welcomed any increase in numbers, Mr Bennetts said.
45 South general manager Tim Jones, of Cromwell, said like other picking, packing and exporting operations, the cherry and apricot business struggled when the number of working holiday-makers declined.
"They are hugely important. They are good workers who are motivated to earn as much as they can and they tend to spend their money in our area."
The increase in working holiday-makers could be attributed to several new countries entering the scheme, including Brazil (302 applications), China (660), Latvia (21) and Poland (12).
The largest number of working holiday-makers came from the United Kingdom, with 10,386 applications received, compared with 9658 the previous year.
The next largest number was from Germany, with 6748 applications, up from 5998 the previous year.
Other notable countries include France 2689 (up from 1907), the United States 2618 (up from 2220) and Ireland 2383 (up from 1928).
The largest decreases were recorded from Japan, with 2009 applications, down from 2378 the year before and 2050 for 2006-2007.
Working holiday-makers were encouraged to work in the agriculture, horticulture and viticulture industries, and people who worked in those areas for three months could obtain an extra three-month stay in New Zealand.
