KUALA LUMPUR (March 14, 2012)—Malaysian natural rubber production inched over 85,000 metric tons in January 2012, up 6.6 percent from December 2011 but down 21.8 percent from January 2011, according to the latest figures from the Malaysian Bureau of Statistics.
NR exports were down sharply in January, both month-to-month and year-to-year, the agency said. Malaysian exports totaled 56,564 tons in January, down 25.7 percent from December 2011 and 27.6 percent from January 2011.
China was the largest customer for Malaysian NR in January 2012, buying 14,316 tons, with Germany second at 9,373 tons. Standard Malaysian Rubber comprised 94.3 percent of exports, with SMR 20 (tire-grade rubber) claiming 42 percent of the total, the agency said.
Malaysia imported 54,638 tons of NR in January 2012, down 13.2 percent from December 2011 and 22.6 percent from January 2011, according to the agency. Latex concentrate comprised 43.3 percent of total imports, and 65.2 percent of the imported rubber came from Thailand.