Australia will accept the World Trade Organisation's decision to allow New Zealand apples to be exported there, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.

Kiwi apple exports to Australia were banned in 1921. In 2007, New Zealand took the case to the World Trade Organisation which found in its favour. Australia appealed the decision but lost again. New Zealand apples were now expected to reach Aussie supermarket shelves next year.

Gillard likened Australia's appeal of the WTO decision as giving advice to the umpire during a sporting match.

"We are a people with a tradition that says you abide by the umpire's decision, we've had the umpire's decision, you would expect that in a rules-based trading system that as a nation we would use those rules and use those appeal rights."