BERLIN, Sept 9 (Reuters) - German exports fell unexpectedly in July, posting their steepest drop in nearly a year, while imports also edged down, data showed on Friday, in a further sign that Europe's biggest economy started the third quarter on a weak footing.

Seasonally adjusted exports fell 2.6 percent on the month, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed. This came after a downwardly revised 0.2 rise in June and undershot the Reuters consensus forecast of a 0.25 percent increase.

Seasonally adjusted imports fell 0.7 percent on the month, the data showed. This was also weaker than the forecast of economists polled by Reuters who had predicted a 0.8 percent rise.

The surprise fall in exports narrowed the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to 19.4 billion euros ($21.9 billion) from a downwardly revised 21.4 billion euros in June. This was below the Reuters consensus forecast of 22.0 billion euros. ($1 = 0.8867 euros) (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Joseph Nasr)