He added that the poor export figures were due to farmers not being offered adequate prices and being paid up to two years late.

The surprisingly low export figures released Wednesday left many worried that the slowdown would continue at least through the first half of 2005.

Bureaucrats cite conflicting daily export figures against which the country is supposed to be measuring the cut of 150,000 barrels a day.

Although the exchange rate has become more realistic in recent weeks, a lag is expected before export figures rebound.

It also mirrors a pattern so far this year that shows such export figures are down 42.8 percent from the first six months of 1991.

The port has seen growing amounts of crude oil exported, with export figures rising between 1997 and 2000.

Even the export figures reflect the trend toward overseas manufacturing.

The 1986-90 reference period will be replaced by the 1992 export figure as the basis for export cuts.

Look at South America and it's only a fraction of our overall export figures.

The export figures came a day after the release of similarly strong retail sales figures for October.