Updated: Imports rose by 6.96% to $40.54 billion in the month, the data showed. Share Article AAA Rice being loaded into a vessel to export to West African at Kakinada Deepsea port in East Godavari. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Imports rose by 6.96% to $40.54 billion in the month, the data showed. Growing for the third consecutive month, the country's exports rose marginally by 0.67% year-on-year to $ 27.93 billion in February even as trade deficit widened to $12.62 billion, according to official data released on Monday. Imports rose by 6.96% to $40.54 billion in the month, the data showed. The trade deficit in February 2020 was at $10.16 billion. Exports during April-February 2020-21 period contracted by 12.23% to $ 256.18 billion compared to $291.87 billion in the year-ago period. Imports dipped 23.11% to $340.8 billion in April-February.