KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) production rose 8.7% in July to 54,994 tonnes, as compared with 50,614 tonnes in the previous month, mainly contributed by the smallholding sector, which accounted for 90% of natural rubber.

In a statement today, the Department of Statistics said exports of rubber rose 5.5% to 47,136 tonnes, compared with the previous month. The main destinations were China, Germany, Iran, USA and Finland.

“Domestic consumption of NR in July 2017 was 40,852 tonnes against 39,211 tonnes in June 2017, with an increased by 4.2 per cent. Rubber gloves industry remains as the main domestic consumer, with consumption of 72.9 per cent,” it said.

It said average monthly price of latex concentrate dropped 55.51 sen per kilogramme to 517.57 sen per kilogramme, as compared with June 2017.  

The Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 recorded an increase in the average monthly price of 32.53 sen per kilogramme to 635.24 sen per kilogramme.