Exports grew by 22.5 per cent to USD 16.64 billion in August compared to the same period last fiscal, a senior Commerce Ministry official said.

Imports, too, jumped by 32.2 per cent year-on-year to USD 29.7 billion in August, Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.

“Export growth is relatively slow, well below the level of 2008-09. From next month onwards hopefully, you should see growth at the level of 2008-09,” Khullar said.

During April-August this fiscal, exports posted a growth rate of 28.6 per cent to USD 85.27 billion on a year-on-year basis.

Imports during the April-August period grew by 33.1 per cent to USD 141.89 billion.

The country’s trade deficit widened to USD 13.06 billion in August compared to the year-ago period.

For the April- August, 2010, period, the trade deficit amounted to USD 56.62 billion.