KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's exports tumbled 23.8 per cent in April from a year earlier, the steepest fall in a decade, as the Covid-19 pandemic badly disrupted the global supply chain, the government said yesterday.

The fall to RM64.92 billion (S$21.3 billion) was much wider than a 15.1 per cent contraction forecast by analysts surveyed by Reuters.

Imports shrank by 8 per cent to RM68.42 billion, data from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry showed.

Analysts had expected a fall of 14.4 per cent.

International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said the declines in both exports and imports were expected, given that most countries around the world were under some form of lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

"This has caused major disruptions to the manufacturing activities and movement of goods globally. Nevertheless, exports of some products such as iron and steel, rubber gloves and refined palm oil recorded increases," he said.

He expected Malaysian's exports to improve in the coming months as the government allowed more industries to resume operations and at full operating capacity since May 4.

"Similarly, companies in other countries are also ramping up their business operations. This will boost trade activities between Malaysia and other countries," he added.

The country swung to a trade deficit of RM3.5 billion in April after 269 straight months of surplus, the government said.

REUTERS, XINHUA