The Auckland branch of the Returned and Services Association is urging people to think twice before rejecting imported poppies during the street appeal.
The national association announced last year that parts of the poppies sold from 2012 would be made in China.
The Auckland branch says it is already selling about 1 million Chinese-made poppies.
Branch president Graham Gibson says they cost about half the price of the New Zealand-made version, so more of the funds raised can now be used to support war veterans in need.
He says the cost of supporting veterans is rising rapidly and fundraising has not been sufficient in recent years.
