New Zealand' trade minister Tim Groser's bid to head the World Trade Organisation appears to have failed.



News agency Reuters has reported this morning that Groser was one of three candidate asked to withdraw from the race to become WTO director-general after not garnering sufficient support from the WTO's 159 members.



Reuters quoted diplomatic sources as saying the race had now come down to either Mexico's Herminio Blanco or Brazil's Roberto Azevedo.



Groser was a wild card entry for the job but despite being seen as an unlikely victor the Government has thrown tens of thousands of dollars supporting his bid. In recent months he has travelled overseas extensively lobbying for support.



The trade minister hit headlines last week when it emerged that he racked up travel expenses of almost $260,000 in the first three months of the year - nearly $3000 a day - as he lobbied for the WTO top job.

His spending was more than that of Foreign Minister Murray McCully ($130,000) and Prime Minister John Key ($100,000) combined.