Overview
1. PRODUCTION
In August 2011, production of natural rubber (NR) totalled 95,731 tonnes, dropped 4,450 tonnes (-4.5%) when compared to July 2011. Year-on-year comparison shows an increase of 15,088 tonnes (+18.7%). The biggest contributor of NR was from the smallholding sector (94.8%) whilst the balance from the estates sector (5.2%). Negeri Sembilan was the main producer of NR in estates for this month (25.2%), followed by Kedah (20.4%) and Pahang (15.0%).
2. EXPORTS
In August 2011, exports of Malaysia’s NR increased by 23,288 tonnes (40.7%) to 80,514 tonnes compared to July 2011. Year-on-year shows a dropped of 5.8 per cent. From the total exports, 94.8 per cent of total exports was from the Standard Malaysian Rubber (S.M.R.) type. The S.M.R 20 was the highest grade exported (52.0 %).
Malaysia’s NR was exported mainly to China (39.6%), followed by Germany (11.7%), Islamic Rep. of Iran (5.9%), Rep. of Korea (5.6%), U.S.A (3.3%), Portugal (3.0%), France (2.5%), Brazil (2.4%) and Netherlands (2.4%).
3. IMPORTS
In August 2011, imports of NR was reported at 50,736 tonnes, an increase of 5.9 per cent compared to the previous month. However, imports decreased by 23,929 tonnes (-32.0%) when compared to a year ago. Latex concentrate was the main type of rubber imported and accounted for 46.2 per cent of total imports in the reference month.
NR was imported mainly from Thailand with a total of 29,726 tonnes (58.6%), followed by Viet Nam (11.2%), Philippines (10.9%), Indonesia (3.4%) and Myanmar (2.1%).
4. DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION
Domestic consumption of NR in August 2011 was 33,167 tonnes, reduced by 1,828 tonnes (-5.2%) from the month of July 2011. Year-on-year comparison also showed a decrease of 5,461 tonnes (-14.1%).
The major NR consuming industries were rubber gloves (68.1%), followed by rubber thread (10.8%) and tyres and tubes (7.7%). The consumption of NR by these three industries constituted 86.6 per cent of the total domestic consumption of NR.
5. STOCKS
The level of stocks of NR held as at the end of August 2011 were 145,745 tonnes, increased by 9,612 tonnes (+7.1%) when compared with the level of stocks as at the end of July 2011. Stocks also increased by 26,073 tonnes (+21.8%) when compared to the level of stocks as at the end of August 2010.
6. AVERAGE MONTHLY PRICE PER KILOGRAM (Noon Quotations – “F.O.B.”)
In August 2011, the average monthly price of latex concentrate decreased by 15.20 sen (1.7%) to 859.00 sen whereas the average monthly price of S.M.R. 20 went up by 11.52 sen (0.9%) to 1,352.83 sen compared to July 2011. Nevertheless, when compared to the same period last year, the average price of latex concentrate and S.M.R. 20 was still at a higher level with an increase of 24.3 per cent and 41.6 per cent respectively.
7. EMPLOYMENT
The total number of workers engaged in rubber estates in August 2011 was 10,981 persons, where 10,977 persons were paid employees with total salaries & wages paid amounting to RM13.9 million. The total number of workers engaged decreased by 74 persons (0.7%) month-on-month, whilst year-on-year, it increased by 486 persons (4.6%).
8. PRODUCTIVITY
In August 2011, the ratio of NR production to total area tapped was 127.0 kilogram per hectare (kg/ha). Productivity recorded a decrease of 10.9 per cent compared to a month ago, whilst year-on-year, it shrank by 8.4 per cent. The average number of tapping days for the whole of Malaysia was 21 days. Negeri Sembilan and Pahang recorded the highest number of tapping days of 24 days.
Notes:
Data for August 2011 is provisional. The data will be updated based on t he latest available figures and subsequently published in the September 2011 publication.
