Wholesale trade sales rose in the September 2015 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. The largest increase was in the grocery, liquor, and tobacco products’ wholesaling industry.

“An increase in fruit exports led the rise in grocery wholesaling this quarter,” business indicators senior manager, Neil Kelly, said.

Seasonally adjusted total sales rose 3.1 per cent, after a 0.1 per cent rise in the June 2015 quarter.

Five of the six wholesaling industries rose in the September 2015 quarter compared with the June 2015 quarter. The industries with the largest sales movements were grocery, liquor, and tobacco products up 5.3 per cent ($383 million) and basic material up 3.4 per cent ($170 million).

The trend for wholesale trade sales has generally been rising since the September 2009 quarter, and it remains at a high level.

The actual value of wholesale trade sales was $23.6 billion in the September 2015 quarter, up $701 million (3.1 per cent) from the September 2014 quarter.

For more information about these statistics: visit Wholesale Trade Survey: September 2015 quarter