KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Dec. 14, 2007) — Malaysia's natural rubber output fell 6.3 percent in the first 10 months of 2007 and declined 6.7 percent in October, compared to the corresponding periods a year ago, according to official government statistics.
Output reached 1.1 million metric tons in the first 10 months of 2007, and 97,627 tons in October, figures from the Department of Statistics Malaysia show. Exports rose slightly and imports jumped 64.3 percent in October.
Domestic rubber consumption in October rose 44 percent from a year earlier.
The department reported shipments of Malaysian NR to China reached 302,085 tons in the January-October period.