Malaysia's March NR Output Up 5.7 Pct To 57,678 Tonnes

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's natural rubber (NR) production rose by 5.7 per cent in March to 57,678 tonnes from February. The Department of Statistics said the main contributor of NR production was the smallholding sector with more than 90 per cent. "The average monthly price of latex concentrate was 408.52 sen per kilogramme, an increase of 52.94 sen per kilogramme," it said in a statement Thursday. Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 rose by 62.95 sen per kilogramme to 516.98 sen per kilogramme. The export of Malaysian NR increased to 53,587 tonnes, but was reduced by 12.4 per cent as compared to March 2015. The five main destinations of NR exports were China followed by Germany, Iran, the US and Finland. Meanwhile, domestic consumption of NR in March increased by 7.4 per cent to 41,786 tonnes. The department said the rubber gloves industry recorded more than 50 per cent of NR consumption from the total domestic consumption. The level of NR stocks held at end-March rose by 0.9 per cent to 239,969 tonnes. -- BERNAMA