KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s exports in March rose 5.3% to RM51.57bil from a year ago, making its the highest export value recorded for the month of March.
According to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) on Tuesday, major product sectors which contributed to the higher exports were palm oil, crude petroleum, refined petroleum products, metal products and liquefied natural gas.
Electrical and electronic products accounted for RM17.53bil or 33.6% of total exports, palm oil exports (M4.69bil or 9.1%)and crude petroleum (M3.5b or 6.8%)
Matrade data showed exports to the United States fell to RM6.33bil compared with RM8.1bil a year ago, mainly due to a decline in electrical and electronic products.
“Imports rose 2.6% to RM43.59bil from RM42.46bil a year ago. The higher imports were mainly intermediate goods which rose 1.6%, capital goods by 20% while motor gasoline including aviation gas by 50.5%,” it said.
Based on the imports by end-use, intermediate goods accounted for RM31.39bil or 72% of total imports; capital goods (RM5.94bil or 13.6% of total imports) and consumption goods (RM2.46bil or 5.7% of total imports.
“A trade surplus of RM7.98bil was recorded in March 2008, making it the 125th consecutive month of monthly trade surplus since November 1997.
Mattrade said total trade in March 2008 amounted to RM95.16 billion, an increase of 4.1% from a year ago.
Total trade in the first quarter of 2008 was valued at RM276.56bil, up 8.4% from the first quarter of 2007. Exports increased by 9.8% to RM151.68bil, while imports grew by 6.7% to RM124.88bil, resulting in a trade surplus of RM26.8bil.
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