The surplus of exports over imports reached £9.2 billion in 1997, from £8 billion in 1996.

The country exported £35 billion of merchandise goods last year and imported £25.9 billion, according to figures published yesterday by the Central Statistics Office.

Despite the large increase in both exports and imports, prices rose only marginally. Export prices rose by 1.1 per cent and imports by only 0.5 per cent.

In volume terms exports rose by 13.9 per cent and imports by 14.7 per cent.

According to the CSO, preliminary indications for January show exports at £3.11 billion and imports at £2.43 billion, continuing the strong trend.

Last year also saw large increases in computer trade with exports up 22 per cent to £7.9 billion and imports up 25 per cent to £4.8 billion.

At the same time, exports to the US rose by 42 per cent to £4 billion while exports to South Korea more than doubled to over £500 million. Exports to Greece and Malaysia declined.

There were increases in imports from the UK as well as Japan and Singapore, although imports from Malaysia fell.