KUALA LUMPUR: The monthly sales value of wholesale and retail trade grew 14.7 per cent to RM134.3 billion in February 2023, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin attributed the increase to the retail trade subsector, which surpassed the other sub-sectors after expanding by RM9.4 billion or 19.2 per cent to RM58.2 billion, while wholesale trade rose 5.9 per cent or RM3.3 billion to RM59.1 billion.
“The retail trade sub-sector’s growth of 19.2 per cent in February 2023 was supported by retail sales in non-specialised stores which rose by 21.1 per cent or RM3.9 billion to RM22.1 billion,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Other groups in this subsector also recorded positive growth, namely retail sales in specialised stores (24.2 per cent), automotive fuels (45.9 per cent), food, beverages and tobacco (18.4 per cent), household goods (7.5 per cent), information and communication equipment (8.0 per cent), retail sales not in stores, stalls or market (14.0 per cent), and retail sales in stalls and market (21.0 per cent).
Meanwhile, the increase of 5.9 per cent in the wholesale trade sub-sector was due to the wholesale of household goods which rose RM1.7 billion or 15.8 per cent to RM12.5 billion, followed by food, beverages and tobacco (9.9 per cent), agricultural raw materials and live animals (10.0 per cent), and non-specialised wholesale (6.1 per cent).
However, Mohd Uzir said month-on-month, the sales value of wholesale and retail trade declined by 0.6 per cent, dragged down by wholesale trade and retail trade which decreased by 2.0 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively.
In terms of volume index, Mohd Uzir said wholesale and retail trade for February 2023 registered a year-on-year growth of 10.6 per cent.
He attributed the expansion to motor vehicles, which increased by 24.0 per cent, while retail trade and wholesale trade grew by 13.9 per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively. – BERNAMA
