Malaysia posts 26% decline in natural rubber production

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia has reported a 26.3% year-on-year decline in natural rubber (NR) production for October to 31,795 tonnes.

Compared to September, production of the commodity decreased by 10.3%, statistics published by the Department of Statistics Malaysia also show.

Malaysia’s smallholders sector was the dominant NR producer, with an 87.8% share of output in October, as compared to 12.2% from the estates sector.

In October, total NR stocks fell 0.3% month-on-month, to 198,122 tonnes: mainly comprising 90.8% at rubber-processor factories, 9.1% at rubber consumers’ plants.

NR exports from Malaysia fell 23.8% month-on-month to 41,548 tonnes in October, with 56.2% going to China, followed by 8.2% to Germany, 3.3% to Brazil, 3.2% to Finland and 3.0% to Iran.

The Malaysian department, meanwhile, posted NR imports at 79,2333 tonnes in October, with Thailand providing a dominant 56.7% share.

Rubber gloves accounted for 20,098 of Malaysian NR consumption during October, down from 21,311 in September, while ‘tyres & tubes’ accounted for 2,309 tonnes and 2,343 tonnes respectively.

October average monthly prices for ‘latex concentrated’ fell 2.2% month-on-month, to 466.42 sen/kg, while SMR 20 increase 0.6% to 602.68 sen/kg.