NZ wholesale trade gains in 3rd qtr as fruit exports drive grocery, liquor and tobacco sales

NZ wholesale trade gains in 3rd qtr as fruit exports drive grocery, liquor and tobacco sales
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Dec. 7 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand wholesale trade rose in the third quarter as a jump in fruit exports drove the biggest quarterly gain in sales of grocery, liquor and tobacco in more than 20 years.  Seasonally adjusted sales rose 3.1 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, accelerating from a 0.1 percent increase in June, according to Statistics New Zealand. Sales of grocery, liquor and tobacco, rose 5.3 percent in their biggest quarterly gain since the series began in March 1995, driven by an 8.8 percent increase in...