KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's total trade in the livestock industry grew 23.2 per cent or RM254.7 million to reach RM1.4 billion in 2023, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In its Malaysia Trade Statistics Review (MTSR) 2024, DOSM said the growth reflects the increasing demand for livestock and related products to meet domestic consumption and industrial needs.
It added that the livestock industry continues to be a key component of the country's agricultural sector and plays a critical role in food security and economic development.
The MTSR 2024 synthesises Malaysia's trade performance for the livestock industry, focusing on selected livestock such as chicken, eggs, cattle, sheep, goat, duck and swine.
According to chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin, the livestock industry in Malaysia has shown significant growth and resilience over the years, contributing substantially to the agricultural sector.
He said the poultry sector, particularly chicken and eggs, remained the largest contributor to the livestock subsector, playing a pivotal role in meeting the protein needs of Malaysians.
"The value of chicken exports is RM726.7 million in 2023, an increase of 27.0 per cent or RM154.4 million as compared to last year.
"Meanwhile, eggs production in Malaysia continued to exhibits strong performance with exporting RM671.2 million worth of eggs in 2023 and catering to the demands of regional markets," he said in a statement today.
Commenting further, Mohd Uzir said the ruminant industry in Malaysia is dominated by the external sector, where the value of imports for live cattle surged to meet domestic consumption, with the import value increasing from RM82.8 million in 2022 to RM108.7 million in 2023.
He noted that the import value of livestock for sheep and goats reached RM27.2 million in 2023, with Australia and Indonesia still the primary exporters to Malaysia.
"The duck industry experienced a very strong performance in 2016, with the total trade value peaking at RM4.6 million.
"However, it saw a significant decline of 93.7 per cent to just RM45,124 in 2023. Malaysia's trade of swine improved significantly from RM141.7 million in 2022 to an impressive RM179.1 million in 2023," he said.
Mohd Uzir said the livestock industry faces a significant trade imbalance, with imports consistently outpacing exports.
He noted that the trade deficit for livestock products in 2023 amounted to RM849.1 million, underlining the need for strategic interventions to boost local production and competitiveness.
He added that Singapore continued to be the main export destination for Malaysia's livestock products, contributing 96.4 per cent of total livestock exports.
"Vietnam and Brunei also emerged as key export destinations.
"On the other hand, the top countries of origin for livestock imports were Australia, New Zealand and Thailand collectively accounting for 84.8 per cent of Malaysia's total livestock imports," he said.
Overall, DOSM said the government continues to implement initiatives to ensure the sustainability of the livestock sector and strengthen the supply chain.
This includes enhancing local production capacity, adopting advanced farming technologies, and diversifying import sources.
It said efforts to boost local production, such as expanding cattle and goat farming programmes, will reduce dependency on imports and support Malaysia's food security objectives.