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13th June, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s natural rubber production in April this year was 60,888 tonnes, a decrease of 9.6 per cent or 6,488 tonnes compared to the previous month.
Production also fell by 7.0 per cent or 4,569 tonnes year-on-year, the Statistics Department said in a statement yesterday.
A total of 95.1 per cent of the natural rubber production was contributed by the smallholding sector whilst the balance from the estate sector.
Kedah recorded the highest in estates accounting for 21.8 per cent, followed by Negeri Sembilan and Johor at 19.8 per cent and 15.2 per cent respectively.
The export of natural rubber in April reduced by 5.9 per cent or 4,159 tonnes to 65,778 tonnes from the preceding month and fell by 33.6 per cent or 33,342 tonnes year-on-year.
Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) accounted for 94.8 per cent of the exports with 52.2 per cent being SMR 20.
The main export destinations were China (40.2 per cent), Germany (13.6 per cent), Korea (4.5 per cent), Brazil (3.9 per cent), Portugal (3.4 per cent), the United States (2.9 per cent), Netherlands (2.8 per cent), Finland (2.3 per cent), and United Kingdom (two per cent).
The total exports to these countries accounted for 75.6 per cent of the overall exports.
A total of 61,245 tonnes of natural rubber was imported in April 2012, representing a 5.5 per cent or 3,596 tonne decrease month-on-month.
The Statistics Department said imports were up 32.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis.
Almost half or 43.6 per cent of the total imports comprised of latex concentrate.
The main import sources were Thailand (65.8 per cent), Vietnam (8.3 per cent), the Philippines (5.4) per cent) and Myanmmar (3.5 per cent).
Domestic consumption for April was down by 8.2 per cent or 3,224 tonnes month-on-month to 35,979 tones, but rose 11.8 per cent year-on-year.
The rubber gloves industry is the major natural rubber consuming industry (67.4 per cent), followed by rubber thread (8.4 per cent), and tyre & tubes (7.3 per cent).
The Statistics Department noted total consumption for these three industries constituted 83.1 per cent of the overall domestic consumption.
Meanwhile, the natural rubber stock at end-April fell 17.2 per cent or 24,474 tonnes to 118,214 tonnes from that of the preceding month, and slid by 6.4 per cent or 8,085 tonnes year-on—year.
The average monthly price of latex concentrate in April 2012 eased 31.04 sen to 751.87 sen per kg from the previous month and dropped 28 per cent or 292.73 sen per kg year-on-year.
As for SMR 20, the average monthly price also dropped 19.78 sen to 1,100.47 sen per kg from the previous month and fell 389.91 sen per kg from April 2011.
Productivity dropped 16.1 per cent month-on-month and was down by 3.1 per cent year-on-year.
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