The Agriculture Ministry said as a result of public awareness on the need to be more self sufficient in agriculture produce, imports have gone down in the first quarter of 2009.

Permanent Secretary Dr Richard Beyer said imports have gone down by 16% in the first quarter of 2009 and exports have gone up by 9.8%.

He added with awareness campaigns, such as the "Teitei competition" in hotels and resorts, as well as in schools, and the “Save the seeds campaign”, this has resulted in the drop in import figures of agriculture produce.

Dr Beyer added post flood, the additional crops in the ground is now worth approximately $30million.