MOSCOW, June 1 (RIA Novosti) - Gazprom Neft increased crude exports by 4.6% year-on-year to 5.36 million metric tons in January-April 2009, the oil arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Monday.

The company's export of petrochemicals declined by 16.7% to 3.227 million metric tons in the reporting period. Oil refining rose 3.4% to 9.094 million metric tons.

The production of gasoline at Gazprom Neft plants went up 8.3% to 2.495 million metric tons, while diesel output went down 6.4% to 26.98 million metric tons in January-April 2009.

Gazprom Neft, Russia's fifth largest crude producer, posted a 5.8% decrease in oil output to 30.8 million metric tons last year.