Malaysia Sector Trade Balance Ratio Dashboard

Malaysia Trade Intelligence

Compare Malaysia’s major trade sectors by trade balance ratio, including exports, imports, total trade, surplus strength, and deficit exposure using official Malaysia open data.

Latest Malaysia Sector Trade Balance Ratio: March 2026

The figures below compare each sector’s trade balance against its total trade value.

Strongest Balance Ratio Animal and Vegetable Oils, Fats and Waxes

Highest Surplus Ratio Animal and Vegetable Oils, Fats and Waxes

Highest Deficit Ratio Commodities and Transactions Not Elsewhere Classified

Malaysia Sectors Ranked by Trade Balance Ratio Strength

The cards below rank sectors by the absolute strength of their trade balance ratio, whether surplus or deficit.

Rank 1

Animal and Vegetable Oils, Fats and Waxes

Surplus Ratio 66.28%

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

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

Exports RM 5,872,816,498 (RM 5.87 billion)

Imports RM 1,190,951,832 (RM 1.19 billion)

Rank 2

Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles

Surplus Ratio 35.77%

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

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

Exports RM 17,817,880,070 (RM 17.82 billion)

Imports RM 8,429,470,610 (RM 8.43 billion)

Rank 3

Commodities and Transactions Not Elsewhere Classified

Deficit Ratio -36.76%

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

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

Exports RM 1,616,624,419 (RM 1.62 billion)

Imports RM 3,495,919,543 (RM 3.50 billion)

Rank 4

Food and Live Animals

Deficit Ratio -24.72%

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

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

Exports RM 4,008,837,738 (RM 4.01 billion)

Imports RM 6,641,395,675 (RM 6.64 billion)

Rank 5

Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels

Deficit Ratio -18.54%

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

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

Exports RM 3,349,654,797 (RM 3.35 billion)

Imports RM 4,874,562,730 (RM 4.87 billion)

Rank 6

Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials

Surplus Ratio 18.35%

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

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

Exports RM 16,011,233,441 (RM 16.01 billion)

Imports RM 11,046,014,791 (RM 11.05 billion)

Rank 7

Chemicals and Related Products

Deficit Ratio -9.06%

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

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

Exports RM 8,056,602,553 (RM 8.06 billion)

Imports RM 9,662,122,873 (RM 9.66 billion)

Rank 8

Machinery and Transport Equipment

Surplus Ratio 8.05%

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

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

Exports RM 80,492,049,894 (RM 80.49 billion)

Imports RM 68,501,913,346 (RM 68.50 billion)

Rank 9

Beverages and Tobacco

Deficit Ratio -6.65%

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

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

Exports RM 223,670,990 (RM 223.67 million)

Imports RM 255,554,979 (RM 255.55 million)

Rank 10

Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material

Surplus Ratio 5.61%

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

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

Exports RM 11,302,933,756 (RM 11.30 billion)

Imports RM 10,101,180,058 (RM 10.10 billion)

Source: Official Malaysia open data from data.gov.my and the Department of Statistics Malaysia. Figures are grouped by Standard International Trade Classification sections. Recent figures may be provisional and subject to revision.

Understanding Malaysia Sector Trade Balance Ratio

Trade balance ratio compares a sector’s trade balance with its total trade value. While a normal trade balance shows the difference between exports and imports in ringgit, the ratio shows the size of that surplus or deficit relative to the sector’s total trade.

This makes it easier to compare sectors of different sizes. A very large sector may have a large ringgit surplus, but a smaller sector may be more strongly export-oriented when viewed as a percentage of its own total trade.

This dashboard is useful for exporters, importers, manufacturers, logistics providers, freight forwarders, procurement teams, analysts, students, researchers, investors, and business owners who want to understand how strongly each sector leans toward surplus or deficit.

Why Trade Balance Ratio Matters

A positive trade balance ratio means exports are higher than imports. A negative trade balance ratio means imports are higher than exports. A ratio near zero means the sector is relatively balanced between exports and imports.

For logistics companies, this can help show whether a sector is more likely to generate outward cargo movement or inward cargo movement. Export-heavy sectors may require export documentation, container planning, port coordination, and outbound freight services. Import-heavy sectors may require customs clearance, warehousing, inland transport, and distribution support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is trade balance ratio?

Trade balance ratio is calculated by dividing trade balance by total trade, then multiplying by 100.

What does a positive ratio mean?

A positive ratio means the sector exports more than it imports.

What does a negative ratio mean?

A negative ratio means the sector imports more than it exports.

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.