Edible oil · importers
Malaysia ranks fifteenth of 96 at $2.4B in the fats and oils chapter, a striking result for one of the world’s major palm oil producers.
| Market | HS 15 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $17.2B |
| India | $16.8B |
| China | $12.6B |
| Netherlands | $8.6B |
| Italy | $7.0B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 15 (animal or vegetable fats and oils). Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Palm oil dominates Malaysia’s own output, yet the country still imports fats and oils: other vegetable oils such as soybean, sunflower and olive for food manufacturers, and oils and fats for refining or blending and re-export. Imports in this chapter therefore serve niches that local palm production does not fill.
The chapter is 0.8% of its $299.5B imports and ranks 21st among its import chapters.
Singapore is above at $2.4B and Egypt below at $2.3B. Malaysia’s 1.6% share of reported world imports is virtually the same as its neighbours’, so the order is loose. China, Singapore, the USA and Japan lead the overall source list, which covers all goods and includes a nearby trading hub.
Ask the importer what it needs that palm cannot provide: bakery and confectionery makers may want particular fats, while retailers stock olive and other premium oils for consumers who want variety. Requirements from the authorities on food imports can change, so confirm them directly.
Because Malaysia also refines and re-exports, some buyers may want crude parcels rather than finished oil. Ask whether the importer holds import approvals for the specific products you offer, and how its own customers in other markets influence what it buys, since a re-exporter must satisfy the rules of the final destination as well.
Chapter 15 includes animal fats and every vegetable oil, so the $2.4B is broader than any single oil. Declarations differ between reporters.
Customs shipment data for the oil headings names receivers and weights. Set Incoterm, currency and port with the chosen buyer, and use this site’s free marketplace to make contact.
Fifteenth of 96 markets at $2.4B in 2024, a 1.6% share of reported world imports.
To obtain other vegetable oils and specialty fats for manufacturers and to supply refining and re-export trade.
It is 0.8% of $299.5B and ranks 21st among import chapters.
Read oil-heading shipment data by consignee and cargo weight.
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