After a spectacular performance in September, export growth again slipped to single digit track at 5.07 per cent in October, this year at $4.884 billion as against $4.649 billion in the same month last year.

In rupee terms, exports in October this year were at Rs 22,170.16 crore (Rs 221.70 billion), a decline of 1.42 per cent over value of exports in October, 2002, an official release said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

While export growth stood at 4.19 per cent in August, it had bounced back to double digit in September at 16 per cent.

Exports during the first half (April-October) of 2003 recorded a cumulative growth of 8.44 per cent at $32.092 billion as against $29.595 billion during the corresponding period last year.

In rupee terms, the exports were Rs 1,48,6691.84 crore (Rs 14,866.92 billion) during April-October, 2003 a growth of 3.15 per cent over last year.

India's imports during October this year were up by 21.46 per cent at $6.905 billion as against $5.593 billion in October 2002.

In rupee terms, imports increased by 15.85 per cent in September 2003, the release said.

Imports during Arpil-October, 2003-04 are valued at $41.361 billion, a rise of 21.46 per cent over $34.052 billion in same period last year.

In rupee terms imports increased from Rs 1,65,854.55 crore (Rs 1,658.54 billion) to Rs 1,91,660.54 crore (Rs 1,916.60 billion) showing a growth of 15.56 per cent during the period.

Oil imports during the period are valued at $10.867 billion, which is 6.48 per cent higher than oil imports valued at $10.206 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Non-oil imports during the period (April-October) are estimated at $30.494 billion, which is 27.88 per cent higher than the level of such imports valued at $23.846 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Trade deficit for the period stood at $9.269 billion as against $4.457 billion during April-October, 2002-03.