The country’s merchandise exports in April rose by 7.6 percent to US$ 4.64 billion from from $ 4.31 billion recorded in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported on Thursday.
Data from NSO showed that exports went up by 7.2 percent compared to the US$ 4.32 billion in March 2012.
In the first four months, exports grew by 5.5 percent to US$ 17.51 billion from US$ 16.59 billion posted during the same first four months last year.
Exports, which accounted for 35.3 percent of the total exports revenue in April fell by 23.8 percent to US$ 1.63 billion from US$ 2.15 billion registered in April last year.
Compared to last month, electronic products were also down by 27.8 percent from US$ 2.26 billion posted in March 2012.
Articles of apparel and clothing accessories followed as the second top export earner in April 2012 with total receipts of US$ 151.20 million, or a share of 3.3 percent to the total exports revenue. It grew by 14.3 percent compared to April 2011 level of US$ 132.27 million.
Woodcrafts and furniture, consisting three percent to total exports, recorded as the country’s third top export with revenue valued at US$ 137.55 million. It rose by 7.5 percent from US$ 127.95 million recorded during the same month in 2011.
Ranked fourth in April and contributing 2.9 percent share to the total export receipts was ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships consisting only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles with earnings amounting to US$ 134.53 million.
This figure exhibited the highest growth rate among the top 10 exports by 145.9 percent from its year ago level of US$ 54.70 million.
Exports of metal components posted at $ 120.69 million. It increased by 113.2 percent from US$ 56.61 million recorded in April 2011.
Rounding up the list of the top 10 exports for the month of April 2012 were coconut oil including crude and refined with export revenue of US$ 89.41 million decreasing by 53.9 percent; gold extracted from copper ores and concentrates, US$ 78 million; bananas (fresh), US$ 55.02 million; petroleum products including refined petroleum products, manufactured from crude petroleum oil imported on consignment basis, US$ 41.31 million and pineapple and pineapple products with proceeds billed at US$ 30.50 million.
Japan remained as the country’s top destination of exports with revenue amounting to US$ 738.79 million, down by 0.4 percent from US$ 741.92 million recorded a year ago.
This was followed by United States of America (USA) with total exports of US$ 677.47 million; Republic of Korea, US$ 658.43 million; People’s Republic of China, US$ 497.34 million and Hong Kong, US$ 405.54 million.
Other top ten markets for April 2012 were Singapore, US$ 373.30 million; Taiwan, US$ 157.43 million; Thailand, US$ 145.52 million; Germany, US$ 140.30 million; and Indonesia, US$ 125.87 million.
