Malaysian NR production fell below 900kt in 2009

ERJ staff report (DS)

Kuala Lumpur -- Malaysia's production of natural rubber (NR) decreased by almost 20 percent in 2008, despite a sharp jump in December. Exports also declined for the full year.

The country produced 97 kt of NR in December 2009, an increase of 56 percent on the same month in 2008. This was not enough to offset reductions in previous months, and the country finished the year with NR production of 860 000 tonnes, a decrease of 19.5 percent on 2008 when the country produced 1.068 million tonnes.

S.M.R. 20 prices in December 2009 rose 13.7 percent, to 926.12 sen ($2.70) compared with the previous month, but were more than double the price in December 2008.

Exports in the month reached 70369 tonnes, an increase of 58.4 percent compared to the figure a year earlier, and up by 8.3 percent on the October figure.n For the full year, exports reached 714 000 tonnes, down by 24.4 percent on 2008, when the equivalent figure was 932 000 tonnes.

NR imports totalled 81,973 tonnes, up by 130.8% on the same month a year earlier, and up by 28.3 percent when compared to the previous month. For the full year NR imports amounted to 738 739 tonnes.

At the end of December 2009, total stocks of NR held was 161 725 tonnes, down by just 3.4 percent (5332 tonnes).below the level a year earlier.

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Press release from Malaysian Statistics office