MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti) - Production of oil and gas condensate in Russia dropped 0.3% year-on-year in January-April 2008, to 161 million metric tons (1.18 billion bbl), the economics ministry said on Friday.

The decrease was mostly down to the depletion of oil fields and delays in the opening of new deposits, as well as high taxes amid soaring global oil prices.

Oil exports stood at 81.7 million metric tons in the first four months of 2008, down 4.9% against the same period last year.

The country exported 69.3 million metric tons in January-April 2008, down 4.5% year-on-year, while 12.4 million metric tons was sold to CIS countries, an association of former Soviet states, up 6% against the first four months of 2007. The increase in oil exports to former Soviet republics followed a hike in oil supplies to Belarus, with crude exports to Ukraine and Kazakhstan falling.

Russia is expected to increase oil production 1.8%, year-on-year, in 2008 to 500 million metric tons (3.68 billion bbl).

The Industry and Energy Ministry said oil output stood at around 491.5 million metric tons (3.61 billion bbl) last year, up 2.4% against 2006.