MACAO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Macao's total merchandise export in January amounted to 1.53 billion patacas (about 189.31 million U.S. dollars), up 24.6 percent year-on-year, and export rose 7.2 percent to 8.97 billion patacas (about 1.11 billion dollars), the special administrative region's statistic service said on Saturday.

The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) showed the value of re-exports increased 28.3 percent to 1.39 billion patacas (about 171.99 million dollars), with that of beauty and cosmetic products, diamond and jewelry surging 274.5 percent and 175.0 percent.

The report added the imports of motor cars and motorcycles, garments and footwear expanded 72.2 percent and 57.5 percent respectively, but that of construction materials and mobile phones fell 45.5 percent and 32.8 percent respectively.

Analyzed by destination, merchandise export to the mainland decreased 21.9 percent year-on-year to 167 million patacas (about 20.66 million dollars).

Meanwhile, exports to Hong Kong SAR (1.12 billion patacas or 138.58 million dollars), the United States (27 million patacas or 3.34 million dollars) and the European Union (16 million patacas or 1.98 million dollars) grew 38.6 percent, 74.9 percent and 27.9 percent respectively.

By place of origin, merchandise import from the mainland (3.17 billion patacas or 392.23 million dollars) and the European Union (2.49 billion patacas or 308.09 million dollars) increased 3.6 percent and 30.7 percent respectively year-on-year.

Merchandise trade deficit in January amounted to 7.44 billion patacas (about 920.56 million dollars), while external merchandise trade totaled 10.50 billion patacas (about 1.30 billion dollars).