Market and product

However, year-on-year, the August figure was 18.7% higher, it said in a statement.

It said the smallholdings sector contributed 94.8% of total production while the estate sector’s share was only 5.2%.

Meanwhile, exports of natural rubber in August increased 40.7% month-on-month to 80,514 tonnes but year-on-year, it was down by 5.8%, it added.

The department said Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) accounted for 94.8% of the exports, with 52% from SMR 20.

Exports were mainly to China with a share of 39.6%, Germany 11.7%, Iran 5.9%, South Korea 5.6%, the United States 3.3%, Portugal 3%, France 2.5%, Brazil 2.4% and the Netherlands 2.4%.

A total of 50,736 tonnes of natural rubber were imported in August, representing a 5.9% increase compared with July.

Year-on-year, imports were down 32%. The main type of rubber imported was latex concentrate, which accounted for 46.2% of total imports.

The department said the main sources of imports were Thailand (58.6%), Vietnam (11.2%), the Philippines (10.9%), Indonesia (3.4%) and Myanmar (2.1%).

Domestic consumption in August shrank by 5.2% month-on-month to 33,167 tonnes, and was 14.1% lower year-on-year.

The three highest natural rubber consuming industries were rubber gloves (68.1%), followed by rubber thread (10.8%) and tyres and tubes (7.7%).

The department said stocks of natural rubber at the end of August increased 7.1% to 145,745 tonnes when compared with end-of-July position. It was also 21.8% higher than the level recorded 12 months earlier. — Bernama