Horticulture has experienced a spectacular 40 per cent growth in export earnings since 2014, according to a new report, with tariffs on exported produce down by 22 per cent since 2012.
The New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority (HEA) and Horticulture New Zealand commission the report New Zealand Horticulture - Barriers to Our Export Trade every two years, with funding support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and NZ Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust.
The report says horticultural produce exporters paid an estimated $190 million in tariffs, a reduction of 22 per cent on 2012's figure of $241m.
About 60 per cent of New Zealand's total horticultural production of fruit and vegetables is exported, valued at just over $3.4 billion.
The Executive Summary of the report is available on the HEA website.