BRAZIL'S TRADE SURPLUS DOUBLED IN FEBRUARY Brazil's trade surplus doubled in February to 261 mln dlrs from January's 129 mln but was well below the 628 mln dlrs of February last year, official figures show. Director of the Banco do Brasil's foreign trade department (CACEX), Roberto Fendt, told reporters the upturn in February confirmed a rising trend in exports which totalled 1.53 billion dlrs against 1.26 billion in January and, after excluding coffee and oil derivatives, was only slightly below the same month last year. Coffee earnings were down to 110 mln dlrs against 295 mln in February, 1986, because of lower prices, he added. Fendt said although the February results were lower than the average expected for the rest of the year, the government's target of an eight billion dlr surplus for 1987 should be achieved. This would compare with a 1986 surplus of 9.5 billion dlrs. Exports this year are expected to total 22.5 billion dlrs and imports 14.5 billion, he added. In 1986 exports totalled 22.4 billion dlrs and imports 12.9 billion. Fendt said the rise in imports in February to 1.27 billion dlrs from 1.12 billion in February last year was in line with government plans to foster economic growth. Fendt said imports were running at levels well above the traditional average for Brazil. Imports in the first two months of the year, excluding oil and wheat, totalled 1.8 billion dlrs against 1.47 billion in the same 1986 period. This rise reflected industry's need for equipment to raise production and is perfectly compatible with the government's program for economic growth, Fendt added.