Taiwan's export orders hit a record single-month high at 24.94 billion U.S. dollars in March, rising 19.33 percent from the same period of last year, according to a report reaching Hong Kong from Taipei Monday.

Local economic affairs authorities said export orders for basic metals, plastic and rubber products, machinery and precision instruments all posted new single-month highs in March.

Export orders in March for information and communications products increased 50.08 percent year-on-year to 1.78 billion U.S. dollars owing to strong demand in the global notebook computer and mobile phone markets, while orders for electronic products rose 32.91 percent to 1.38 billion U.S. dollars, the officials said.

Orders from the United States amounted to 6.73 billion U.S. dollars, up 22.67 percent. Those from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region totaled 5.91 billion U.S. dollars, up 16.94 percent year-on-year.

Those from Europe and Japan were valued at 4.27 billion U.S. dollars and 2.72 billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

For the first quarter of this year, Taiwan's export orders amounted to 67.31 billion U.S. dollars, up 21.25 percent from the same time last year, the officials said.

Local experts predicted Taiwan's export orders will continue to increase in April, with information and communications products expected to see the highest growth.

They said Taiwan's export orders are likely to continue to post a double-digit growth in the second quarter.