PORT LOUIS: Mauritius' trade deficit widened 20.5 percent to 6.2 billion rupees ($214.5 million) in August from a year earlier, due to higher imports of mineral fuels, food and live animals, data showed on Thursday.
Statistics Mauritius said year-on-year import costs rose 12.7 percent to 12.6 billion rupees driven by mineral fuels, lubricants and related material prices, which rose to 3.2 billion rupees from 2.5 billion a year earlier.
The value of food imports rose 19.9 percent year-on-year to 2.2 billion rupees in August.
Exports increased 6 percent to 6.3 billion rupees, on the back of a rise in revenues from manufactured goods.
Britain was the main buyer of goods from Mauritius in August accounting for 21.2 percent of its exports, while India supplied 26.4 percent of the island's imports.
The statistics office expects the trade deficit -- which widened in 2010 -- to be around 83 billion rupees this year, representing a 24.8 percent rise from 2010's trade deficit of 66.5 billion rupees.
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