Gross volume for the crop was 566,200 tonnes, similar to the previous year, and 70% of the crop was exported.
Export returns have risen by $500m over the past eight years and most significantly 85% of that increase has been from value, not volume.
NZ-bred varieties like Jazz and Envy now account for one-quarter of exports.
“These figures were achieved pre-covid-19 but we have confidence that the current selling season is progressing as well,” NZAPI chief executive Alan Pollard said.
“With the right regulatory and policy settings to support industry confidence and growth, the industry is well placed to reach its $1 billion target by 2022 and $2bn by 2030,” he said.
The latest edition of Fresh Facts, jointly published by Horticulture New Zealand and Plant & Food Research, said in 2019 the produce sector was worth $9.5bn, and $6.2bn were export earnings.
Kiwifruit exports were $2.3bn and wine exports $1.8bn.
Avocado exports earned $104m and cherries $69m, while onions brought in $170m mainly from the United Kingdom and Europe.
Processed potatoes were also a big export earner, accounting for 82% of the crop’s $129m exports, mainly to Australia.
Processed peas were also a big export earner, at nearly $100m, followed by sweetcorn and beans at $41m each.
Five markets paid more than $500m each during the year; Europe up 9% at $998m, Australia at $814m and steady, US up 9% at $779m, Japan up 32% at $786m and China up 20% at $752m.
Over the past decade horticultural exports have doubled in present-day value, Fresh Facts said.
After trebling in export value over the past decade, bee products stayed steady around $350m and the UK, China, Australia and the US took over $50m each.
