Malaysia's Natural Rubber Production Fell 5.1 Pct In December 2024 To 38,299 Tonnes -- DOSM
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) production fell 5.1 per cent to 38,299 tonnes in December 2024, compared to 40,341 tonnes in November 2024, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the NR production, however, increased by 26.2 per cent year-on-year against 30,342 tonnes in December 2023.
“Production of NR in December 2024 for Malaysia was mainly contributed by the smallholders sector (89.4 per cent) as compared to the estates sector (10.6 per cent),” he said in a statement today.
He said total NR stocks in December 2024 rose by 1.4 per cent to 167,745 tonnes as compared to 165,384 tonnes in November 2024, with the rubber processors factory contributing 88.7 per cent of the stocks, followed by the rubber consumers factory (11.2 per cent) and rubber estates (0.1 per cent).
Meanwhile, DOSM said Malaysia’s NR exports amounted to 44,338 tonnes in December 2024, up 1.8 per cent from 43,562 tonnes in November 2024.
It said China remained the main destination for NR exports, which accounted for 49 per cent of total exports in December 2024, followed by Germany (12.9 per cent), the United Arab Emirates (7.3 per cent), the United States (3.7 per cent) and Portugal (3.3 per cent).
“The export performance was contributed by NR-based products such as gloves, tyres, tubes, and rubber thread.
“Gloves were the main exports of rubber-based products with a value of RM1.5 billion in December 2024, an increase of 6.2 per cent compared to RM1.4 billion in November 2024,” it said.
Additionally, DOSM said the average monthly price of concentrated latex increased by 2.3 per cent, reaching 699.35 sen per kilogramme (kg) in December 2024, compared to 683.48 sen per kg in November 2024, while scrap was 3.9 per cent higher at 757.28 sen per kg, up from 728.68 sen per kg previously.
It also noted that the trend of prices for all Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) increased between 2.3 per cent and 3.5 per cent.
“The World Bank Commodity Price Data reported the prices for Technically Specified Rubber (TSR 20) have increased 3.2 per cent from US$1.93 per kg to US$1.99 per kg (US$1=RM4.46), and Singapore/Malaysia increased 4.1 per cent from US$2.29 per kg to US$2.38 per kg,” the department said.
According to the Malaysia Rubber Board Digest published in December 2024, the Kuala Lumpur rubber market was mixed during the review period, with the price of SMR 20 increasing.
“Market sentiment was supported by prolonged concerns for supply disruption due to heavy rains and flooding in major NR-producing countries.
“It was also boosted by the rally in the regional rubber futures markets due to improved Chinese economic performance from additional stimulus to support economic growth,” DOSM added.
-- BERNAMA