Malaysia's natural rubber production in November fell 10% from a year earlier, due mostly to heavy rains.
November output at 62,883 metric tons was down 19% from the previous month, Malaysia's Department of Statistics said Thursday. The October production estimate was unchanged at 77,620 tons.
The department didn't comment on the reasons for the sharp decline in output, but heavy rains in November lowered the number of rubber-tree tapping days in major growing regions of Malaysia and Thailand.
Natural rubber stocks at the end of November totaled 133,604 tons, down 10% from a year earlier. Natural rubber exports rose 23% to 64,969 tons, while imports rose 36% to 63,863 tons.
Imports rose due to higher demand from manufacturers and exporters of compound rubber, in response to strong demand particularly from China.
"The rate of increase in imports is much higher than growth in local consumption because imported rubber is being blended into compound rubber and exported again," a senior government official said.
Domestic consumption of natural rubber in November rose 9% from a year earlier to 41,151 tons.
(Source: irco.biz)
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