Palm Oil Sabah's Main Export In Q1

By Haslin Gaffor SANDAKAN (Sabah, Malaysia), April 20 (Bernama) -- Palm oil was Sabah's main export in the first three months of this year accounting for RM703.18 million (US$228.99 million), said Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, Jacob Dungau Sagan. Jacob said the state's second main export item was sawn timber and wood products worth RM149.8 million (US$48.78 million), followed by marine products at RM49.03 million (US$15.97 million). Japan was the main importer for these commodities from Sabah, he said. Last year, the state exported RM3,525 million (US$1,148 million) worth of palm oil mainly to Indonesia and the Philippines, RM674.8 million (US$219.77 million) of sawn timber and wood products (Japan) and RM197.69 million (US$64.37 million) of marine products (China). Sabah accounted for RM55.8 billion (US$18.17 billion) or 4.4 per cent of the country's total trade of RM1.27 trillion (US$413.55 billion) last year, he said, adding it was also the fifth largest exporting state after Selangor, Penang, Johor and Sarawak. "With its strategic position and aggressive marketing, I am sure Sabah's exports can increase. "In fact, Sabah is ideally located for regional trade and shipping activities to Kalimantan, southern Philippines, and north Asian countries such as China, Japan and South Korea," he said at a press conference after officiating a Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) session with entrepreneurs and exporters here on Friday. Jacob said from 2007 to October 2011, a total of RM98.5 million (US$32.07 million) in grants and soft loans was provided to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sabah, with 800 of their representatives sent for training courses organised by the Sabah Skills and Technology Centre. -- BERNAMA