Production decreased by 20% to 22,498 tonnes in April compared with 28,106 tonnes in March, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

In a statement, the department said NR production eased by 2.2% year-on-year from 23,013 tonnes in April 2021, while total stocks in April decreased by 4.1% to 297,673 tonnes against 310,433 tonnes in March.

Chief statistician Uzir Mahidin said rubber production in April was mainly contributed by the smallholders sector (88.1%) compared with the estates sector (11.9%).

“Rubber processors factory contributed 92.5% of the stocks, followed by rubber consumers factory (7.4%), and rubber estates (0.1%),” he said. “China remained the main destination for NR exports, accounting for 39.7% of total exports in April, followed by the United States (11.3%), Finland (4.5%), Egypt (3.2%), and Iran (2.5%).”

Bearish sentiments that hit the rubber market were contributed by losses in the regional rubber futures markets amid slowdown fears in China’s stringent COVID-19 lockdowns, persistent Russia-Ukraine conflict, ongoing global chip shortage, and inflationary pressure, he added.

Uzir noted that exports of Malaysia’s NR rose 10.2%, to 58,755 tonnes in April, an increase against 53,328 tonnes in March.

The export performance was contributed by NR-based products such as gloves, tyres, tubes, rubber thread, and condoms.

Gloves were the main exports of rubber-based products with a value of RM2.2 billion in April, up 8.6% from RM2 billion recorded in March.