Algeria's imports have kept decreasing with a drop of 7.4 percent to 30.06 billion U.S. dollars during the first eight months of 2012, comparing to the same period last year, the official APS news agency reported Sunday.

Exports hit 49.8 billion dollars, a 4. 62 percent increase comparing to the same period in 2011, said APS citing a report form the Customs' National Center for Statistics and Data (CNIS).

The trade surplus during the first eight months of 2012 hit 19. 73 billion dollars, comparing to 15.1 billion dollars in the same period last year, the source said.

The improvement of the trade surplus is largely due to a five percent increase in oil exports, amid a steady decreasing trend of imports of foodstuffs, agriculture and industrial equipment, according to the CNIS.

But Algeria's non-hydrocarbon exports represent 2.67 percent to 1.32 billion dollars, comparing to 97.33 percent exports of oil and gas, an equivalent of 48.4 billion dollars.

The OPEC member produces an average of 1.2 million barrel of crude oil per day.