RABAT, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's trade deficit increased by 8.2 percent to a total of 15.2 billion U.S. dollars between January and September this year, the foreign exchange regulator said on Saturday.

According to the statistics, the rise in the deficit was driven by a 9.7-percent increase in imports to 35.3 billion U.S. dollars, particularly due to a hike in energy bill of 19.4 percent, raw materials of 19.1 percent and equipment of 10.3 percent.

Morocco's exports registered a higher increase of 11 percent to reach nearly 20.1 billion dollars, but remained far less in value than imports.

The increase in exports was pushed by a hike of 16.6 percent in phosphate, 14.6 percent in car industry and 14.2 percent in aeronautics products.