The export of food products during the last ten months of current financial year registered an increase of 29.07 percent as compared to the export during the same period of last year.According to the latest data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, different food commodities worth $3.52 billion were exported during last ten months of the year 2010-11.During the period under review, export of basmati rice rose by 6.29 percent with about 884,918 metric tonnes of basmati rice being exported worth $75.9 million. Basmati rice export during the same period of the last financial year 2009-10 was recorded at 853,072 metric tonnes, costing $71.4 million, data revealed. However, it is indicated that overall rice export posted a contraction as rice exports fell by 2.07 percent during the period from July 2010 to April 2011. Export of wheat also witnessed a surge of 56.27 percent as about 1.08 million metric tonnes of the commodity worth $41.8 million were exported during ten months of current financial year against the export of 3,506 metric tonnes costing about $732,000 during the same period in the last financial year. However, export of fish and related products picked up and posted credible growth of 28.64 percent as about 104,715 metric tonnes of fish products were exported, valued at roughly $23.3 million against 85,226 metric tonnes worth $18.1 million exported during the same time last year. Meanwhile, fruit and vegetable exports also registered gains being augmented by 14.66 percent and 103.65 percent, respectively, during the period under review. During the last ten months, fruits of different varieties worth $24.6 million were exported in contrast to $21.4 million during the same time last year. During the period from July to April 2010-11, the country earned $19.90 million by exporting vegetables of different kinds, while the export of the commodity was recorded at $9.97 million during the same period of 2009-10.
