June NR Production Up 15.1 Pct To 50,164 Tonnes

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s June 2017 natural rubber (NR) production rose by 15.1 per cent to 50,164 tonnes from 43,962 tonnes the previous month, with the smallholding sector contributing over 90 per cent to its production. In a statement Friday, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said, according to the Monthly Rubber Statistics for June, the average monthly price of latex concentrate and Standard Malaysia Rubber was at 573.08 sen per kilogramme (kg) and 602.71 sen per kg, down 9.1 per cent and 7.3 per cent from May 2017, respectively. "Exports of NR declined by 10.9 per cent from 50,126 tonnes to 44,683 tonnes in June 2017. The five main destinations of exports were China, Germany, Taiwan, US and Iran," it said. The department said domestic consumption of NR fell by 4.4 per cent from 40,965 tonnes to 39,183 tonnes in the same period. Rubber gloves industry remained as the main domestic consumer with more than 70 per cent consumption, it said. It said stocks of NR at end-June 2017 were 198,994 tonnes against 208,200 tonnes in May 2017, recording a drop of 4.4 per cent. -- BERNAMA