CARACAS, (AP) - Venezuela's non-oil exports fell slightly last year to US$6.7 billion, according to preliminary figures released Wednesday by the country's National Statistics Institute.

The figure was down 4 per cent from the US$6.95 billion (euro5.85 billion) in non-oil exports logged in 2004, INE president Elias Eljuri said.

Exports including oil in 2005 rose to about US$12 billion (euro10.11 billion), up from US$11.7 billion (euro9.85 billion) the previous year, he said. Those exports include oil produced by private companies operating in Venezuela.

The latest export figures are preliminary and could change because they lack December data, Eljuri added.

Since late 2002, the government of President Hugo Chavez has closely guarded state oil production numbers.

Eljuri said the oil export figures were provided by the state oil company and Oil Ministry, and were not calculated by the institute.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World