Malaysian NR production fell further in July

ERJ staff report (DS)

Kuala Lumpur -- Production of natural rubber (NR) in July 2008 was 99,862 tonnes, down by 10.6 percent on the figure in July 2007. Compared with June 2008, however, the output represented an increase of 16.1 percent. The smallholding sector contributed 94.5% of total production while the estate sector, the remaining 5.5%. Total production in the first seven months of 2008 amounted to 662,383 tonnes, a decrease of 5.6 percent when compared with the corresponding period in 2007.

Exports of Malaysian NR in July 2008 stood at 82,489 tonnes, an increase of 6.1 percent when compared with the same month of 2007, and up by 10.2 percent compared with June 2008. Exports of Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) constituted 92.7 percent of total exports. Of the total SMR exported, SMR 20 accounted the highest, 38.8 percent.

In July 2008, imports of NR amounted to 38,722 tonnes, a decrease of 25.5 percent compared to that of the same month last year. Imports fell by 8.8 percent when compared with the previous month. The main type of rubber imported was latex concentrate which accounted for 67.8 percent of total imports in the reference month.

Domestic consumption of NR in July 2008 was 37 621 tonnes, up by 1.0 percent compared with a year ago, but up by 0.6 percent on the figure from June 2008.

In July 2008, the average monthly price of latex concentrate was 691.98 sen, an increase of 0.5% compared to June 2008 but 55.9 percent higher than in July 2007.