Other items exported are palm oil and rubber, in which Malaysia is among the top producers, as well as crude petroleum and liquefied natural gas. Malaysia is considered a major producer of cocoa and pepper, with significant exports of timber and wood products. Malaysia is the largest producer of palm oil in the world. In 1996, 7.3 million tons of palm oil products were exported, with the major markets being China, Pakistan and Singapore. The third largest in natural rubber production, Malaysia exported 17.1 percent of the world's production in 1996, with the major markets being the EC, Republic of Korea, USA, Japan, Singapore, China and Russia.
Timber is the second largest foreign exchange earner, with petroleum being the first.
The major importers of sawn lumber and saw logs were Japan, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea, with the EC, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and the Republic of Korea importing sawn timber imports. In recent years, the manufacturing sector has become more important, thus improving, with the help of tourism, the nation's economy. AsianInfo.org - All Rights Reserved.