KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) exports in October 2104 rose 0.5 per cent, or 260 tonnes, to 54,723 tonnes compared with September 2014, the Statistics Department said.
In a statement yesterday, the department said, however, on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, the exports showed a decline of 30.7 per cent, or 24,194 tonnes.
“Standard Malaysia Rubber (SMR) contributed 92.5 per cent of the total NR exports with 52.4 per cent comprised SMR 20.
“The commodity was mainly exported to China (46 per cent) followed by Germany (13.3 per cent), Iran (11.5 per cent), US (5.3 per cent), South Korea (2.7 per cent), Finland (1.8 per cent), Brazil (1.7 per cent), Taiwan (1.4 per cent) and France (1.3 per cent),” it said.
Meanwhile, imports of NR in October 2014 totalled 76,861 tonnes, an increase of 2.4 per cent, or 1,825 tonnes, from the preceeding month and declined by 9.6 per cent, or 8,169 tonnes y-o-y.
Thailand was the main supplier (41.7 per cent) of NR followed by Vietnam (34.2 per cent).
Production of NR in October 2014 dropped 21 per cent or 12,623 tonnes to 47,564 tonnes compared with September 2014 with 22.6 per cent, or 13,925 tonnes.
The department said the smallholding sector contributed 90.4 per cent to the total production while the estate sector 9.6 per cent.
Domestic consumption of NR fell by 0.2 per cent, or 84 tonnes, to 37,227 tonnes in October 2014 from September 2014.
It, however, rose 1.3 per cent or 467 tonnes, compared with a year ago.
At end-October 2014, NR stocks fell 9.9 per cent, or 14,384 tonnes, to 131,101 tonnes from September 2014.
It dropped dropped 17.2 per cent, or 27,144 tonnes, y-o-y.
The average monthly price of latex fell 3.2 per cent or 12.56 sen to 380.57 sen per kilogramme (kg) in October 2014 compared with the previous month.
It was 28 per cent, or 147.88 sen, lower compared with October 2013.
The total number of paid workers engaged in the rubber estates in October 2014 was 12,437 persons with salaries and wages paid totalling RM15.3 million.
The number of paid employees fell by 0.6 per cent compared with the previous month but increased 0.8 per cent from October 2013.
Productivity in October 2014 decreased 18.6 per cent, or 26.3 kg per hectare (ha), to 114.8 kg per ha from September 2014 and fell 2.1 per cent or 2.5 kg per ha for the same month last year. — Bernama