Food commodities worth US$ 3.083 billion were exported during the period from July to March 2010-11 as against the US$ 2.455 billion of the year 2009-10, said the figures released by the Federal Bureau of Statistic on Tuesday.

The export of basmati rice increased by 4.67 per cent during the period under review as basmati rice of US$ 672.793 million exported as compared to the total amount of US$ 642.76 million of exported rice of last financial year.

Meanwhile, the export of fruit and vegetable also registered a significant growth where as the export of fruit and vegetable increased by 9.25 and 104.96 percent respectively.

The country earned US$ 221.61 million by exporting the fruits of different varieties during last nine months as compared to the export of US$ 202.84 million of last corresponding year.

The data revealed that US$ 167.75 million was added in the national foreign exchange reserves by exporting the vegetables as against the total export of US$ 81.84 million of last year.

During the last nine months of current financial year the export of fish and fish preparations also witnessed an increase of 25 percent, US$ 197.3 million earned by exporting the commodity.

About 780,610 metric tons of basmati rice and 449,474, 377,242 metric tons of fruit and vegetable were exported from the country with in last nine months of the year 2010-11, it said.

The total quantum of fish and fish produce exported was recorded at 86,680 metric tons during the period under review.