Mauritius trade deficit widens in May

Mauritius' trade deficit widened 24.4 percent year-on-year in May to 6.9 billion rupees ($243.8 million), due mainly to higher costs of fuel, official data showed on Wednesday.

Year-on-year import costs rose 13 percent to 12.6 billion rupees driven by mineral fuels, lubricants and related material prices, which rose to 3.4 billion rupees from 2 billion a year earlier.

Exports increased 1.9 percent to 5.7 billion rupees, on the back of a rise in revenues from exports of manufactured goods.

Britain was the main buyer of goods from Mauritius in May accounting for 24.2 percent of its exports, while India supplied 29.9 percent of the island's imports.

The statistics office said in June it expected the trade deficit -- which grew in 2010 as well -- would be around 83 billion rupees this year, representing a 24.8 percent rise from 2010's trade deficit of 66.5 billion rupees