WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The prices paid for imported goods fell 0.5% in March, mostly because of lower fuel costs, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.5% decline. The increase in import prices in February was also revised down to show a 0.6% increase instead of 1.1% as originally reported. Excluding fuel, import prices declined by 0.2% in March. Fuel-import costs dropped 1.9% last month after a 2.8% spike in February. Food-import prices rose 1.3%, however, to mark the biggest rise since September. The price of U.S.-made goods exported to other nations, meanwhile, dipped 0.4% in March after a revised 0.7% gain in February. Over the past 12 months, import prices are 2.7% lower. Import prices have not risen on a 12-month basis since April 2012, Labor said.