New Delhi: Despite slipping to a single digit, India's exports continued to maintain its upward trend registering a growth of 6.55 per cent during August at $ 3.88 billion compared to $ 3.64 billion last year.

In Rupee terms, exports grew at an impressive 10 per cent during August at Rs 18,878.30 crore, as per provisional trade data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on October 1.

Exports in August slipped to a single digit after registering a double-digit growth in the last two months.

An increase of close to six per cent in imports during the month lead to a marginal increase in the country's trade deficit at $ 742.22 million as against $ 725.48 million in August 2001.

Imports during August 2002 were valued at $ 4.62 billion compared to $ 4.37 billion last year, an increase of 5.84 per cent, an official release said.

Cumulative exports during April-August 2002-03 was valued at $ 19.76 billion, which was 13.37 per cent higher than the level of $ 17.43 billion in the corresponding period the previous year, it said.

Despite an increase in India's oil imports, cumulative imports during the first five months of the current fiscal, however, grew marginally at 1.76 per cent at $ 22.46 billion as compared to $ 22.08 billion last year.

Oil imports during the five-month period registered an increase of 5.29 per cent at $ 6.87 billion compared to $ 6.52 billion during April-August 2001-02, it said.

PTI