Good news for NZ produce in Europe

"Indeed, out of all southern hemisphere exporting countries, NZ is the best positioned to take advantage of this," she says.

"NZ has a good reputation for high-quality fruit, efficient growers and strong exporters."

This trend to premium products has also helped particularly strong growth in the berry sector (fresh and frozen), van Rijswick says. Significant growth is foreseen over the next five years.

The health attributes of berries and their versatility as an ingredient in smoothies and dairy products is also behind the upswing in demand, she says.

"We are also forecasting a revival in the demand for stone fruit," she says, driven by investment in new varieties, which is expected to ramp up demand for plums and peaches from fairly stagnant levels over recent years.

"Another high growth category is avocados; this is a global phenomenon, just like berries."

In contrast, Ms van Rijswick says, 'staple' fruits and fresh vegetables are expected to show stable and, in some cases, declining growth in the coming five years, as fresh-cut and frozen fruit and vegetables gain market share from the whole fresh and preserved categories due to their 'value' proposition.