ANRPC expects rubber-price gains as output lags demand

Kuala Lumpur – Global production of natural rubber (NR) totalled 3.954 million tonnes during the first four months of 2019, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has reported.

The level represented a decline of 5.1%, from 4.165 million tonnes, recorded during the same period in previous year, said a 30 June ANRPC statement.

World consumption of NR, meanwhile, improved over the four months to April: up 1.0% year-to-year to 4.591 million tonnes, the association noted.

The sentiment in physical NR prices, it said, “remains strong with the exports curtailment under Agreed Exports Tonnage Scheme (AETS) and seasonal shortages of raw material during wintering season.”

Under the AETS, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to cut back exports of natural rubber by 240,000 tonnes over a four-month period, from 1 April.