Malaysian NR production, stocks continue to slide

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Malaysia's production of natural rubber was 815,138 tonnes in the eight months to August 2007. This was a decrease of 5.9% when compared with the corresponding period in 2006. In the month of August production was 113.3 kt, 13.2 percent lower than the same month in 2006, but slightly higher than the volume produced in July 2007.

Despite the decrease in production, exports continue to increase, with the 104 kt exported in August up by over a third on the volume in July and up by 6 percent on the export volumes a year ago. In the year to date, China continues to be the major export market, with 227 kt edstined for the growing regional power. Exports to other countries included the Federal Republic of Germany (92.2 kt) Republic of Korea (39.3 kt), US (37.2 kt), France (31kt), Brazil (26.1 kt) and Portugal (15.6 kt). Total exports to these seven countries accounted for 70.4% of the overall NR exports.

Malaysia also increased its imports of NR, but this was not eough to save the decline in stocks. Malaysia's stocks are now 24 percent lower than at the same time last year.

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Press release from Malaysian Statistics office