SHANGHAI, Mar. 17 – Foreign trade in East China’s Shanghai port rose 20.3 percent year-on-year to US$91.06 billion in the first two months of 2008, according to Customs statistics.

The figure accounted for 24.9 percent of the country’s total trade value of US$365.93 billion from January to February.

Exports climbed 17.2 percent, 20.7 percentage points lower than the period from a year earlier, to US$58.59 billion. Mechanical and electronics products accounted for around 60 percent of total exports.

Imports jumped 26.3 percent to US$32.47 billion,10.8 percentage points higher from the same period last year Shanghai Customs said.

The surplus rose 7.6 percent to US$26.12 billion. The rate was 66.1 percentage points lower from a year ago according to Xinhua News.

Export growth slowed as the Spring Festival holiday and the strongest winter storms in 50 years closed factories and disrupted transport. Government policies introduced last year to reduce the surging surplus also contributed to the slower pace, especially in the steel and garment sectors.

Imports though, accelerated their pace as China bought more commodities and farm produce at higher prices. Over 549,000 tons of agricultural products were imported in the last two months through Shanghai port, an annual increase of nearly 30 percent.