Malaysia Trade Gap by Sector Dashboard

Compare Malaysia’s trade gap by sector, showing the difference between exports and imports for each major trade category using official Malaysia open data.

Latest Malaysia Trade Gap by Sector: March 2026

The figures below rank sectors by the absolute difference between exports and imports.

Latest Data Period March 2026

Total Exports RM 148,752,304,156 (RM 148.75 billion)

Total Imports RM 124,199,086,437 (RM 124.20 billion)

Export Gap RM 24,553,217,719 (RM 24.55 billion)

Malaysia Sectors Ranked by Trade Gap

The cards below show the widest export-import gaps across major trade sectors.

Rank 1

Machinery and Transport Equipment

Export Gap RM 11,990,136,548 (RM 11.99 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 2

Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles

Export Gap RM 9,388,409,460 (RM 9.39 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 3

Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials

Export Gap RM 4,965,218,650 (RM 4.97 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 4

Animal and Vegetable Oils, Fats and Waxes

Export Gap RM 4,681,864,666 (RM 4.68 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 5

Food and Live Animals

Import Gap RM -2,632,557,937 (RM -2.63 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 6

Commodities and Transactions Not Elsewhere Classified

Import Gap RM -1,879,295,124 (RM -1.88 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 7

Chemicals and Related Products

Import Gap RM -1,605,520,320 (RM -1.61 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 8

Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels

Import Gap RM -1,524,907,933 (RM -1.52 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 9

Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material

Export Gap RM 1,201,753,698 (RM 1.20 billion)

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

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

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

Rank 10

Beverages and Tobacco

Import Gap RM -31,883,989 (RM -31.88 million)

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

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

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

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 Trade Gap by Sector

Malaysia’s trade gap by sector shows the difference between exports and imports for each major trade category. A positive gap means exports are higher than imports, while a negative gap means imports are higher than exports.

This dashboard helps visitors compare which sectors have the widest trade differences. It is useful for exporters, importers, manufacturers, logistics providers, freight forwarders, procurement teams, researchers, analysts, investors, students, and business owners.

Why Trade Gap Data Matters

Trade gap data helps identify sectors with strong export advantage and sectors with stronger import reliance. A large positive gap may reflect export strength, international demand, or commodity competitiveness. A large negative gap may reflect domestic demand, imported inputs, machinery needs, fuel requirements, or reliance on overseas supply.

For logistics providers, trade gap analysis can help indicate whether a sector is more likely to generate outbound or inbound cargo activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a trade gap?

A trade gap is the difference between exports and imports.

What does a positive trade gap mean?

A positive trade gap means exports are higher than imports.

What does a negative trade gap mean?

A negative trade gap means imports are higher than 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.