La Paz, Apr 30 (IANS/EFE): Bolivia's gas sales to Brazil and Argentina surged 29.5 percent to $1.49 billion in the January-March 2013 period, compared to the same quarter last year, state-owned oil company YPFB said.

Gas sales to Brazil totaled 963.8 million in the first quarter, while exports of the fuel to Argentina reached $535.4 million, YPFB said, citing National Statistics Institute, or INE, figures.

Sales of other Bolivian fuels totaled $59 million, pushing the total value of hydrocarbon exports to nearly $1.56 billion during the period, YPFB said.

Brazilian oil giant Petrobras imported an average of 31.65 million cubic meters per day of gas from Bolivia in March, while Argentina's Enarsa imported an average 15.77 million cubic meters per day.

Foreign companies, including Spain's Repsol, Petrobras, BG Group and France's Total, account for most of the gas production in Bolivia, but YPFB has managed the fuel's marketing since 2006.