KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s total trade in the livestock industry grew 23.2%, or RM254.7mil, to RM1.4bil in 2023, according to the Statistics Department.
The Statistics Department said in the Malaysia Trade Statistics Review (MTSR) for 2024, the growth reflected the increasing demand for livestock and related products to meet domestic consumption and industrial needs.
The MTSR synthesised Malaysia’s trade performance for the livestock sector, focusing on goods such as chicken, eggs, cattle, sheep, goat, duck and swine.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the livestock industry in Malaysia had shown significant growth and resilience over the years, contributing substantially to the agricultural sector.
“The poultry sector, particularly chicken and eggs, remained the largest contributor to the livestock sub-sector, playing a pivotal role in meeting the protein needs of Malaysians.
“The value of chicken exports was RM726.7mil in 2023, an increase of 27% or RM154.4mil compared with the previous year,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir said egg production in Malaysia continued to exhibit a strong performance, with egg exports worth RM671.2mil in 2023 catering to demand from regional markets.
He said, however, the ruminant sector in Malaysia was still dominated by imports. The value of imports for live cattle surged to meet domestic consumption, with the value increasing from RM82.8mil in 2022 to RM108.7mil in 2023.
“The import value of sheep and goats reached RM27.2mil in 2023, with Australia and Indonesia remaining as the primary exporters to Malaysia. Malaysia’s trade of swine improved significantly from RM141.7mil in 2022 to RM179.1mil in 2023,” he said.
Mohd Uzir said Singapore continued to be the main export destination for Malaysia’s livestock products, contributing 96.4% of total livestock exports, followed by Vietnam and Brunei as key export destinations.
“The top countries of origin for livestock imports were Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, collectively accounting for 84.8% of Malaysia’s total livestock imports,” he added. — Bernama
