NR production

Despite increasing output from other countries, the share of production from the top three producing countries, namely Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, is still very high. However, the share has fallen from its peak of 80.5% in 1969 to 65.6% in 2001 before recovering to 71.4% in 2007. If we take a look at Malaysia, as its economy has developed, its influence as the leading producer of NR has declined. In 1986 Malaysia produced 1.6 million tonnes, however, in 2007, Malaysia’s output dropped to approximately 1.2 million tonnes. In comparison, Thailand produced just under 3.1 million in 2007 and Indonesia produced 2.8 million tonnes. Differences in production growth rates from country to country may have been influenced by a number of factors including government policy towards rubber (re)planting, the prices of rubber, alternative crop opportunities, age composition and yields of the trees, weather and technology levels.

NR production in major producing countries, 1960-2007

There is a possibility of NR shortage in the future. The Rubber Economist can provide you with analysis and forecasts of natural rubber output in the major producing countries of the world.

NR is a renewable natural resource, a product of the tropical tree Hevea brasiliensis. Important characteristics associated with NR include a long gestation period of about 6–7 years (compared to 1–2 years for an SR plant) and high labour intensity in cultivation and harvesting. NR is mostly produced by small farmers in the developing countries of Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam), Africa (Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and D.R. of Congo) and Latin America (Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and other Latin America) – the majority of whom farm less than 4 hectares of land.

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