New Delhi: Provisional data collated by the Directorate-General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI&S) and released by the Department of Commerce has showed that exports during April-June 2006-07 were valued at $27,671.93 million, 32.40 per cent higher than the level of $20,900.31 million during April-June 2005.

Merchandise exports grew by 40.17 per cent during June 2006 in dollar terms, and touched 9,967.08 million from $7,110.96 million during June 2005.

Ministry officials said quick estimates of selected major commodities showed a substantial spurt in exports of engineering products, petroleum products, basic chemicals, electronic goods, cotton yarn/fabrics/made-ups, spices, coffee, tobacco, carpets and mica, coal and other minerals, including processed ones, during June 2006.

The country''s imports during June 2006 are valued at $13,763.86 million, representing an increase of 23.98 per cent over the level of imports valued at $11,101.23 million in June 2005. Total imports during April-June 2006 are valued at $40,281.28 million, which is 24.48 per cent higher than the level of $32,360.13 million during April-June 2005.

Trade deficit during the period April-June 2006 is estimated at $12,609.35 million, which is higher than the deficit of $11,459.92 million during April-June 2005. If the revised figures of June 2005 as also during the first quarter of 2005-06 are taken into account, the country''s exports during April-June 2005-06 were $23,676.12 million and imports at $34,214.14 million, leaving a trade deficit of $10,538.02 million.