* Surplus drops to C$33 million
* Fall in exports outstrips drop in imports
* Automotive and energy lead the import and export falls ( Adds details from the report)
OTTAWA, April 12 (Reuters) - Canada's trade surplus declined to a negligible C$33 million ($34 million) in February from C$382 million as a decline in exports outstripped a fall in imports, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday.
Surging exports in the fourth quarter of 2010 had been a major factor in strong growth for the quarter and in a narrowing of the current account deficit. But in February, exports fell 4.9 percent (even more in volume terms, 5.2 percent) to C$35.9 billion, primarily as the result of lower energy and automotive sales.
A Statscan analyst said one factor in lower auto exports was that it was coming off an increase in January that was due to the introduction of a new car model.
Imports fell by 4.0 percent (4.3 percent in volume) to C$35.8 billion, also on lower automotive and energy products.
The median forecast of analysts surveyed by Reuters was for the surplus to rise to C$500 million from an originally reported C$116 million for January.
($1=$0.96 Canadian) (Reporting by Randall Palmer; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)