KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's exports contracted 4.7 percent in March from a year earlier, dragged by lower shipments of manufactured goods, mining and agriculture goods, official data showed Monday.

Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Ministry said in a statement that Malaysia's trade in March fell 3.8 percent to 147.9 billion ringgit (34.28 billion U.S. dollar).

Exports for the month down sharply as compared to a 7.6 percent increase in February. Meanwhile, imports shrank 2.7 percent to 67.78 billion ringgit. Trade surplus went down 14.2 percent to 12.34 billion ringgit.

Shipments of manufactured goods, which accounted for 84.4 percent of March's total exports, fell 4.5 percent on-year due to lower demand for electrical and electronic goods, metal products, machinery as well as optical and scientific equipment, it said.

Exports of mining goods declined by 4.4 percent, mainly due to lower exports of crude petroleum. Enditem

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