Official figures show seasonally adjusted sales rose 1% to more than $21 billion in the three months to March compared to the previous quarter.
Statistics New Zealand says the increase has been led by businesses involved in pharmaceutical, stationery, furniture, and textile materials, as well as firms in the car and car parts wholesaling industry.
That more than offset declines in the basic material, and machinery and equipment, sectors.
The trend for wholesale trade sales has generally been increasing since the last low point in mid-2009.
