PORT LOUIS: Mauritius' trade deficit narrowed 12.6 percent to 5.08 billion rupees ($168.49 million) in the year to January, helped by higher earnings from manufacturing exports, official data showed on Friday.

The overall value of exports rose by 11.2 percent to 6.93 billion rupees, with sales of manufactured articles edging higher to 2.24 billion rupees from 2.11 billion a year earlier, Statistics Mauritius said in a statement.

Imports fell slightly by 0.3 percent to 12.0 billion rupees on the back of lower costs of fuel and lubricants. Britain was the main buyer of goods from Mauritius in January, accounting for 17.1 percent of exports, while India supplied 20 percent of the Indian Ocean island's imports.