Further declines in Malaysian NR production in August

ERJ staff report (DS)

Kuala Lumpur -- Production of natural rubber (NR) in August 2008 was 103,767 tonnes, down by 6.8 percent on the figure in August 2007. Compared with July 2008, however, the output represented an increase of 0.8 percent. The smallholding sector contributed 94.7% of total production while the estate sector, the remaining 5.3%. Total production in the first eight of 2008 amounted to 769,2773 tonnes, a decrease of 5.4 percent when compared with the corresponding period in 2007.

Exports of Malaysian NR in August 2008 stood at 82,721 tonnes, down by 20.5 percent when compared with the same month of 2007, but up by 0.3 percent compared with July 2008. Exports of Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) constituted 95.0 percent of total exports. Of the total SMR exported, SMR 10 accounted for the highest share, at 40.7 percent.

In August 2008, imports of NR amounted to 36,857 tonnes, up by 32.5 percent compared to that of the same month last year. Imports fell by 4.8 percent when compared with the previous month. The main type of rubber imported was latex concentrate which accounted for 66.7 percent of total imports in the reference month.

Domestic consumption of NR in August 2008 was 37,666 tonnes, down by 0.3 percent compared with a year ago, and down by 0.2 percent on the figure from July 2008.

In August 2008, the average monthly price of latex concentrate was 613.76 sen, an increase of 11.3% compared to July 2008 but 31.4 percent higher than in August 2007.

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Press release from Malaysian Statistics Department