The first consignment of lychees was recently sent from Brisbane to New Zealand.

Farmers hope to export 200 tonnes of lychees to New Zealand annually by 2013.

Lychees are grown in far north and central Queensland and the north coast of NSW.

"The Rudd Government will continue working to secure new international market access for our fresh farming produce, to underpin local jobs and economic growth," Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, said.

"The lychee industry already contributes to Australia's horticulutre industries and regional communities, producing 4,500 tonnes of the tropical fruit, worth $16 million each year.

"Australia’s lychee exports have risen sharply in recent years, with about 20pc of lychee production now exported, earning around $3.2 million per year."

Lychee exports to New Zealand were permitted after a new import policy was finalised which will require fresh Australian lychees to undergo a range of quarantine measures, including pre-export irradiation.

Further, all lychee fruit for export to New Zealand must be sourced from orchards that produce commercial lychee under standard cultivation, pest-control, harvesting and pack house procedures.

Recent success in lychee exports follows improvements in post-harvest handling and the development of quality assurance programs and cooperative marketing groups.