NEW DELHI: Exports have risen by 37 per cent in the first half of the current fiscal with September alone recording a huge rise of 41.2 per cent. Provisional official data released here on Tuesday show that cumulative exports in April-September (2006-07) have reached $59.3 billion against $43.2 billion over the same period last year. The value of exports in September has been pegged at $10.3 billion against $7.2 billion in the same month last year.

Commenting on the export trends, Commerce and Industry Minister, Kamal Nath, said the sustained double-digit growth showed that exports were on a high growth trajectory, especially in the manufacturing sector.

He felt that the enhanced export target of $125 billion envisaged for 2006-07 would be achieved with a projected growth rate of about 22 per cent over last year's performance.

The trade gap has also widened, according to the data, from $20.3 billion to $24.6 billion. This is largely because imports have also risen by a steep 32 per cent in the first six months of this fiscal and by as much as 49 per cent in September alone. Cumulative imports during April-September were estimated at $83.9 billion against $63.5 billion during the same period in 2005. Imports during September were valued at $15.6 billion, up from $10.4 billion in the same month last year. Oil imports have risen by 36.8 per cent in April-September 2006, while non-oil imports rose by 11 per cent.

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