France's Trade deficit stood at a record high of 69.6 billion euros (91.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2011, up by 35.1 percent year on year, customs figures showed on Tuesday.

French sales abroad amounted to 428.8 billion euros, an increase of 8.6 percent compared with a year earlier, mainly due to buoyant farming sales. The imports rose by 11.7 percent to 498.3 billion euros on high energy bill.

"After the strong recovery in 2010, the exchanges slowed in 2011. Nevertheless, they remain dynamic, so they exceed their pre-crisis level," customs services said.

"We can be satisfied at the good results in certain sectors, the agro-food sector saw a historic surplus of 11.4 billion (euros). Aeronautics also saw a surplus, of 17.7 billion, thanks to the sale of 534 Airbus planes," French State Secretary for Trade Pierre Lellouche told Le Figaro daily.

Although the result was "lower than had been anticipated," the situation was not satisfying compared with Germany, whose trade surplus is expected to reach 157 billion euros in 2011. (1 euro = 1.3 U.S. dollars)