Brazil tax revenue jumps nearly 10 pct in March

* Consumer spending, manufacturing help buoy revenues



* Brazil economy to cool in 2011 after break-neck 2010



BRASILIA, April 19 (Reuters) - Brazil's tax collection surged in March on the back of consumer demand that has continued to be robust, the federal tax authority said on Tuesday.



Tax revenue in March, adjusted for inflation, jumped to 71 billion reais ($44.9 billion), an increase of 9.7 percent from a year earlier.



Tax revenue in February totaled 64.14 billion reais.



Latin America's largest economy is expected to slow to growth of around 4.5 percent this year after red-hot expansion of 7.5 percent in 2010.



Still, a rise in aggregate wages, strong retail sales and industrial output compared to the previous year helped drive March tax income, the tax authority said.



Brazil's public accounts deteriorated significantly in 2010 as the government increased spending ahead of October's presidential elections.



The country missed its main budget target with a consolidated primary surplus BRPSPS=ECI in the 12 months through December of 2.78 percent of gross domestic product, well below the goal of 3.1 percent of GDP for the year. For more see [ID:nN31206720].



The March primary budget surplus figure is due to be announced on April 29.



Investors look at the primary budget surplus, the excess in revenue over expenses but excluding interest payments, as a gauge of the country's ability to service its debt.



The administration of the new president, Dilma Rousseff, announced budget cuts this month of 50 billion reais in an effort to meet its budget target and help contain rising consumer prices. [ID:nN09134882]



The tax authority expects an increase of 9 percent in tax revenue for 2011, not adjusted for inflation.



($1=1.582)