It marked the largest exports tallied in the first quarter since the government started compiling such data in 1970.

The ministry said a steady rise in exports to big markets fueled the rally.

Japan, the biggest buyer of South Korean food, imported $309.4 million in the three-month period, up 17.2 percent from a year earlier, while $172.8 million worth of Korean agricultural goods were shipped to the US, up 4.3 percent from a year ago.

Exports to China gained 7.4 percent on-year to $242.9 million over the January-March period despite the Beijing government's move to raise non-tariff barriers against South Korean products in apparent retaliation for Seoul's plan to deploy the US-led missile defense system.

However, in March alone, shipments to China fell 5.7 percent on-year due mainly to hostile actions taken by Beijing, the ministry said.

Exports of fresh fruit and vegetables, including strawberry, paprika and pears, climbed 4.7 percent on-year to $255 million in the first quarter, while overseas sales of processed food, such as instant noodles, snacks and alcoholic beverages, jumped 12.6 percent to $1.39 billion. (Yonhap)