Malaysia Export and Import Orientation Dashboard

Identify which Malaysian trade sectors are export-oriented, import-oriented, or relatively balanced using official Malaysia open data.

Latest Malaysia Export and Import Orientation: March 2026

The figures below classify Malaysia’s major trade sectors as export-oriented, import-oriented, or relatively balanced.

Latest Data Period March 2026

Export-Oriented Sectors 3

Import-Oriented Sectors 3

Relatively Balanced Sectors 4

Malaysia Trade Sectors by Orientation

The cards below show each sector’s export share, import share, trade balance, and orientation.

Rank 1

Machinery and Transport Equipment

Trade Orientation Relatively Balanced

Export Share of Sector Trade 54.02%

Import Share of Sector Trade 45.98%

Total Trade RM 148,993,963,240 (RM 148.99 billion)

Trade Balance RM 11,990,136,548 (RM 11.99 billion)

Rank 2

Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials

Trade Orientation Export-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 59.18%

Import Share of Sector Trade 40.82%

Total Trade RM 27,057,248,232 (RM 27.06 billion)

Trade Balance RM 4,965,218,650 (RM 4.97 billion)

Rank 3

Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles

Trade Orientation Export-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 67.88%

Import Share of Sector Trade 32.12%

Total Trade RM 26,247,350,680 (RM 26.25 billion)

Trade Balance RM 9,388,409,460 (RM 9.39 billion)

Rank 4

Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material

Trade Orientation Relatively Balanced

Export Share of Sector Trade 52.81%

Import Share of Sector Trade 47.19%

Total Trade RM 21,404,113,814 (RM 21.40 billion)

Trade Balance RM 1,201,753,698 (RM 1.20 billion)

Rank 5

Chemicals and Related Products

Trade Orientation Relatively Balanced

Export Share of Sector Trade 45.47%

Import Share of Sector Trade 54.53%

Total Trade RM 17,718,725,426 (RM 17.72 billion)

Trade Balance RM -1,605,520,320 (RM -1.61 billion)

Rank 6

Food and Live Animals

Trade Orientation Import-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 37.64%

Import Share of Sector Trade 62.36%

Total Trade RM 10,650,233,413 (RM 10.65 billion)

Trade Balance RM -2,632,557,937 (RM -2.63 billion)

Rank 7

Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels

Trade Orientation Import-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 40.73%

Import Share of Sector Trade 59.27%

Total Trade RM 8,224,217,527 (RM 8.22 billion)

Trade Balance RM -1,524,907,933 (RM -1.52 billion)

Rank 8

Animal and Vegetable Oils, Fats and Waxes

Trade Orientation Export-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 83.14%

Import Share of Sector Trade 16.86%

Total Trade RM 7,063,768,330 (RM 7.06 billion)

Trade Balance RM 4,681,864,666 (RM 4.68 billion)

Rank 9

Commodities and Transactions Not Elsewhere Classified

Trade Orientation Import-Oriented

Export Share of Sector Trade 31.62%

Import Share of Sector Trade 68.38%

Total Trade RM 5,112,543,962 (RM 5.11 billion)

Trade Balance RM -1,879,295,124 (RM -1.88 billion)

Rank 10

Beverages and Tobacco

Trade Orientation Relatively Balanced

Export Share of Sector Trade 46.67%

Import Share of Sector Trade 53.33%

Total Trade RM 479,225,969 (RM 479.23 million)

Trade Balance RM -31,883,989 (RM -31.88 million)

Source: Official Malaysia open data from data.gov.my and the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Orientation is calculated from exports and imports by sector. Recent figures may be provisional and subject to revision.

Understanding Malaysia Trade Orientation

Trade orientation shows whether a sector is mainly driven by exports, mainly driven by imports, or relatively balanced between the two. This helps visitors understand the direction of trade activity within each major category.

An export-oriented sector exports more than it imports. An import-oriented sector imports more than it exports. A balanced sector has exports and imports that are closer in value.

This dashboard is useful for exporters, importers, manufacturers, logistics providers, freight forwarders, procurement teams, researchers, analysts, students, investors, and business owners who want to understand Malaysia’s trade structure by direction of movement.

Why Trade Orientation Matters

Export-oriented sectors may indicate Malaysia’s production strength, overseas demand, established supply chains, or commodity competitiveness. Import-oriented sectors may indicate domestic demand, machinery needs, fuel requirements, raw material requirements, or reliance on overseas supply.

For logistics companies, trade orientation helps identify whether a sector is more likely to generate outbound cargo movement or inbound cargo movement. This can support planning for shipping, warehousing, container movement, customs clearance, documentation, and distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does export-oriented mean?

Export-oriented means a sector has higher exports than imports.

What does import-oriented mean?

Import-oriented means a sector has higher imports than exports.

What does balanced sector mean?

A balanced sector has exports and imports that are relatively close in value.

How often is the data updated?

The official trade data is generally updated monthly. Recent figures may be provisional and subject to revision.

Data Notice:
The figures displayed on this page are based on official Malaysia open data and are provided for general information and reference. Recent figures may be provisional and subject to revision by the official data provider.