KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's government is targeting economic growth of 2.6 percent in 2014, the finance minister said on Monday, down from the 3.6 percent it was hoping to hit this year. Badr-Eddin Mahmoud, citing the projections of a draft budget approved by cabinet, did not go into the reasons for the slowdown from the growth projected in the 2013 budget. But Sudan has been struggling with an economic crisis since losing much of its oil reserves - the main source for revenues and dollars needed for imports - when South Sudan became independent in 2011. The newly-appointed minister said new revenues would next year come in the form of tariffs paid by South Sudan for exporting its oil via Sudan. He also said the government aimed to trim the deficit to no more than 1.5 percent of gross domestic product from 3 percent in this year's budget. Speaking to reporters in Khartoum, Mahmoud gave no figures for projected spending or revenues. The budget also sees inflation of 21 percent for 2014. The annual rate of inflation stood at 42.4 percent in November, government figures show. The government started lifting some fuel subsidies as part of austerity measures in July 2012, leading to several weeks of protests. Mahmoud said the draft budget did not include any increases in prices of basic goods. The 2014 budget will be submitted to parliament on Wednesday for final approval.