Malaysia: Natural rubber output down 40%

Malaysia’s national rubber (NR) production in April 2015 dropped 40.8% to 35,850 tonnes compared with the previous month, the statistics department said.

On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, the production recorded a decrease of 1.4%.

The department, in a statement today, said the smallholdings sector contributed 92.6% to the total production, while the remaining from the estate sector.

Export of NR in April 2015 declined 19.8% or 12,108 tonnes compare with the previous month, while on y-o-y basis, it slipped 24% or 15,465 tonnes.

The department said Standard Malaysia Rubber (SMR) contributed 91.3% of the total NR exports.

The commodity was mainly exported to China (34.6%) followed by Germany (16.1%t), the US (8.1%), Brazil (4.0 per cent), South Korea (3.7%), Iran (3.5%), Finland (3.1%), Portugal (2.6%), and Turkey (2.2%), it said.

Meanwhile, imports of NR in April 2015 dampened by 10.9% or 8,538 tonnes from the preceding month, but increased by 8,814 tonnes y-o-y.

Thailand was the main supplier (46.1%) of NR followed by Vietnam (16.7%).

Domestic consumption of NR improved 1,579 tonnes to 39,909 tonnes in April 2015 from the previous month, while y-o-y showed an increase of 7.4%.

At end-April 2015, NR stocks stood at 176,348 tonnes, 14.8% lower compared with March 2015, but 19.1 per cent higher y-o-y.

The average monthly price of latex concentrate fell 2.1% or 8.87 sen to 411.31 sen per kg in April 2015 compared with the previous month, while on y-o-y, the price dropped 13.3% or 63.23 sen.

The number of paid workers engaged in rubber estates in April 2015 was 12,160, with salaries and wages paid amounted to RM12.7 million.

Productivity in April 2015 slid 27.3% to 68.9 kg per hectare from March 2015, and increase 13.9% or 8.4 kg per hectare a year ago.