Merchandise exports for the first two months of 2000 increased by 9.1 percent to $5.619 billion from $5.150 billion in 1999.

Aggregate receipts for February 2000 from merchandise exports grew by 13.0 percent to $2.902 billion from $2.569 billion a year earlier.

Receipts from Electronics and Components, accounting for 51.0 percent of February 2000 aggregate export revenue, went up by 8.0 percent to $1.481 billion from $1.371 billion a year earlier.

Input/Output/Peripheral Units remained as the second top earner with an aggregate receipts of $229.44 million and a share of 7.9 percent. February exports were 25.3 percent higher than $183.13 million in 1999.

The third top earner for the month consisted of Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories was valued at $199.20 million, which was a 22.1 percent increase from $163.09 million in 1999.

Revenues from Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircraft and Ships grew by 23.2 percent to $46.81 million from $38.00 million last year.

Woodcrafts and Furniture ranked fifth with sales amounting to $39.80 million for an increase of 24.6 percent from $31.95 million a year ago.

Exports of Metal Components went up by 26.4 percent to $32.98 million from $26.10 million in 1999.

Rounding up the list of the top exports for February 2000 were Coconut Oil, $32.43 million; Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, $27.86 million; Cathodes & Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper, $27.24 million; and Sugar, $25.76 million.

Aggregate receipts for the top ten exports amounted to $2.142 billion, or 73.8 percent of the total.

Accounting for 89.0 percent of the total exports, Manufactured Goods posted a 15.2 percent increase as sales reached $2.583 billion, up from $2.243 billion a year earlier.

Combined incomes from Agro-Based and Other Agro-Based Products reached $141.20 million or 4.9 percent of the total. Compared to last year, aggregate revenue for these commodity groups grew by 54.0 percent from $91.67 million.

Accounting for 30.3 percent of the total for the month, value of exports to the United States rose by 17.8 percent to $878.21 million from $745.28 million last year.

Valued at $444.94 million, exports to Japan gained 28.0 percent from $347.68 million in 1999. The share of exports to Japan was 15.3 percent.

Exports to Netherlands, the third biggest market accounting for 8.4 percent of the total receipt, registered a 2.9 percent increase and amounted to $243.88 million from $237.07 million last year.

Singapore emerged as the fourth biggest market as shipments amounted to $207.01 million or 7.1 percent of the total. Compared to the same month last year, receipts increased by 46.8 percent from $141.02 million.

Other top markets for the month were Taiwan, $196.57 million; United Kingdom of Great Britain, $131.64 million; Hongkong, $129.56 million; Germany, $110.49 million; Republic of Korea, $108.97 million; and, Malaysia, $107.89 million.

Total export receipt from the top ten markets amounted to $2.559 billion or 88.2 percent of the total.