Nigeria will from this year's cropping season begin exportation of food crops to the advanced countries as parts of the efforts of government to expand the national economy.

Among the seasonal food crops to be exported on daily basis are tomato, mango, vegetables, orange, paw-paw, guava, banana, plantains, watermelon, and pineapples.
Already 11 airports including the Ilorin International airports in Kwara State have been designated by the federal government as cargo airports for the food crops exportation.

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, who announced the new move in Abuja, said that it was part of government efforts to make farming more lucrative for farmers especially the graduate ones venturing into agriculture.

Henceforth, the minister said that the food crops would be moved from the 11 designated airports to countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, France where the farms produce of the nation would be appreciated by foreigners and Nigerians residents in the countries.

Mrs. Oduah regretted that over N300billion was realized from such ventures in 2012 by countries operating cargo airports while Nigeria did not make a single kobo in spite of her huge efforts on such perishable food crops.

She disclosed that a synergy had been developed with the federal and state ministries of Agriculture and stakeholders on how vegetable, tomato, paw-paw, pine apple farmers would be contacted every hour through phones on how to get their farmers produce to the air ports on time.

When the policy finally takes off later this year, the minister disclosed that the affected airports along with selected airlines will operate 24 hours in order to ensure smooth implementation of the policy

"It is painful to government that large percentages of our food crops perish here in Nigeria. After consuming the few we need, we allow the rest to rot away for our farmers.

This is not good as it will not make farming lucrative. So we are reversing the trend as part of the present government transformation agenda"

"Better days are coming for our farmers. Everybody will now be interested to go into farming because there will be plenty returns for our farmers. Nigeria and Nigerians will be better for our new policy" the minster remarked.

Among the designated airports are the Jos airport, Imo airport, Akwa-Ibom airport.

The minister assured that most of the airports will be remodeled to enable them cope with the new challenges, she stated that most of the airport were under-utilized has not joined in the importation of food crops that will keep airlines and airports busy.