Billions of dollars of untapped potential for Kiwi exporters.

At the same time the Government's announced a live export ban ... the 'Food for Thought' report points to a possible 24 billion dollars exports from the top of the south alone.

Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan says can be as simple as diversifying current offerings...

He says salmon is mainly exported fresh, whereas exporting frozen could be worth up to 170 million dollars.

Kiernan says other opportunities sit in the wine, seafood and even fruit industries.