– AFP
KUALA LUMPUR: Natural rubber (NR) production in August 2025 decreased by 12.8 per cent to 31,285 tonnes compared to July 2025 with 35,884 tonnes, according to the Department of Statistics, Malaysia (DoSM)
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said that based on the year-on-year comparison, NR production decreased by 12.9 per cent compared to August 2024 (35,908 tonnes).
"Production of NR in August 2025 for Malaysia was mainly contributed by the smallholders sector (86.5 per cent) compared to the estates sector (13.5 per cent).
"Total stocks of NR in August 2025 decreased by 7.3 per cent to 158,591 tonnes compared to 171,153 tonnes in July 2025," he said in a statement quoting the Monthly Rubber Statistics, Malaysia for August 2025.
He added that rubber processors factories contributed 82.8 per cent of the stocks, followed by the rubber consumers factories (17 per cent) and rubber estates (0.2 per cent).
He said the exports of Malaysia's NR in August 2025 amounted to 39,419 tonnes, an increase of six per cent compared to July 2025 (37,198 tonnes).
China remained as the main destination for NR exports, accounting for 39.1 per cent of total exports in August, followed by Germany with 16.1 per cent, the United Arab Emirates (9.2 per cent), the United States (5.7 per cent) and Portugal (3.9 per cent)
"The exports performance was contributed by NR-based product such as gloves, tyre, tube and rubber thread.
"Gloves were the main exports of rubber-based products valued at RM1.2 billion in August, a decrease of 7.7 per cent compared to July 2025 (RM1.3 billion)," he said.
Meanwhile, analysis of the average monthly price showed that concentrated latex recorded a decrease of 0.3 per cent (August 2025: 569.48 sen per kg; July 2025: 571.3 sen per kg), while scrap increased by 1.3 per cent (August 2025: 594.18 sen per kg; July 2025: 586.68 sen per kg).
The trend of prices for all standard Malaysian rubber (SMR) was mixed with an increase of 1.1 per cent and a decrease of 0.3 per cent.
The World Bank Commodity Price Data reported that prices for technically specified rubber (TSR) 20 increased 1.6 per cent from US$1.68 per kg to US$1.71 per kg while Singapore/Malaysia decreased 3.8 per cent from US$2.23 per kg to US$2.15 per kg.
According to the Malaysia Rubber Board Digest published in August 2025, the Kuala Lumpur Rubber Market closed August 2025 on a mixed performance.
Prices were supported by concerns over reduced raw material supplies in major producing countries amid persistent wet weather, as well as renewed optimism from the US-China tariff truce, rising crude oil prices, and recent Chinese economic stimulus measures. - Bernama
