2012 JULY - LGM - Malaysian Rubber Board

sen/kg1,050MRB Daily Noon Prices, July 20121,000950SMR 20900850800750700Latex in Bulk6506005502 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30 311,5201,4601,4001,3401,2801,2201,1601,1001,040sen/kg980920860800740680620560500SMR 20 and Latex ( in Bulk,60% DRC) Noon Prices1 August 2011 - 31 July 2012SMR 20Latex in BulkAug '11 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan '12 Feb Mar Apr May June July '122

Automotive sales hitting top gear aftersluggish startTotal industry volume for January-May reaches244,620 units, making up 40% of MalaysianAutomotive Association’s forecast for 2012.Malaysia's automotive market has rebounded andit took the fifth month of the year to rev up anotherwise bearish sales into a bristling one.With June expected to be another bountifulmonth for new vehicle sales, the market canexpect to close the first half on a high gear.Going a bit further, there should be a big push bymany car companies from this month onwards asa prelude to the festive season starting with HariRaya Aidilfitri in mid-August.-New Straits Times, 11 JulyBreakthrough in rubber tree researchBridgestone Corporation announced it hadsuccessfully decoded the main genomesequence for hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree),which produces latex.In a statement, the company said that theresearch breakthrough was accomplished inconjunction with Genome Informatics Laboratoryin the National Institute of Genetics (MishimaCity, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan).-New Straits Times, 11 JulyExports of rubber products seen growing 10%this yearThe export of rubber products is expected togrow 10% again this year after taking intoaccount all the economic crises that are currentlytaking place, said Malaysian Rubber ExportPromotion Council (MREPC) Chief ExecutiveOfficer Datuk Teo Suat Cheng.Last year, the country's exports of rubberproducts increased to record RM14.2 billion, upby 10.3% from 2010.items, may fare better to grow at 10.6% this year.- The Star, 13 JulyThai Government ready to boost budget fornatural rubber purchases -MinisterThe Thai Government is ready to raise its budgetfor intervening in the natural rubber market ifnecessary, Deputy Agriculture Minister NatthawutSaikua said, without specifying an amount.In January, the Thai Government approved a 15billion baht ($475 million) plan to raise prices fornatural rubber, but prices have continued todecline in recent months due to the globaleconomic slowdown. The extended price declinehas triggered sporadic protests by growers inThailand.The government also plans to raise its purchaseprice for natural rubber bought as part of the priceintervention plan, Mr. Natthawut told reporters,after a Cabinet meeting in Bangkok.- Dow Jones Commodities Service, 17 JulyFELDA, RISDA ink rubber replanting dealThe Federal Land Development Authority(FELDA) signed an agreement with the RubberIndustry Smallholders Development Authority(RISDA) to replant rubber crops on land under itsmanagement."The project will be carried out in a few states inthe peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. We will carryit out to take care of the wellbeing ofsmallholders, especially those in rural areas," hesaid after witnessing the signing of thememorandum of understanding between the twoparties.Under the two-year agreement, more than 10,300hectares will be developed through the rubberreplanting programme, with the help of RM155.7million from the government.-New Straits Times, 18 July“Specifically, the export of rubber gloves productsthat has been proven to be a recession-proof5

First tyres using natural rubber produced inEuropeThe first tyre prototypes obtained from naturallatex from Guayule and Russian Dandelion plantshave been presented. The production of the firstprototypes is a clear indication of the technicalperformance and economic potential of therubber extracted.Following the cultivation of Guayule andDandelion plants and the extraction of latex fromthem, the Dutch tyre company Apollo Vredestein,a partner in the EU-PEARLS European project,has produced the first prototypes of tyresmanufactured using natural rubber produced inEurope.The prototypes will undergo exhaustive tests overthe coming months before steps are takentowards the production phase. This success isopening up new market expectations that in a not-too-distant future will be able to break the Asianrubber monopoly.-www.alphagalileo.com, 18 JulyIndonesia eyes investment plan for rubberindustryIndonesia, is considering investing $526 millionover three years to boost and improve output inits rubber trees.Starting in 2013, if approved the money will beused to re-plant or revitalise about 350,000hectares of old and unhealthy rubber plantation inSoutheast Asia's largest economy, RismansyahDanasaputra, Director of Perennial Crops at theAgriculture Ministry said.Malaysia rubber glove exports to reachRM11.5 billion in 2012Malaysia's 2012 rubber glove exports are likely tojump to RM11.5 billion in value, a 17% increasefrom the previous year, driven by firmer demandas buyers replenish low stocks, the president ofthe Malaysian Rubber Glove ManufacturersAssociation said."Buyers who previously refrained from securingcargoes are now resuming purchases due to therecent sharp fall in prices of natural rubber," LimKwee Shyan said.Malaysia rubber gloves exports totalled RM9.8billion in 2011.- Dow Jones Commodities Service, 26 JulyChina's automotive sales expected to hit 20million in 2012The China Association of AutomobileManufacturers (CAAM) said that the country'sautomotive sales are likely to hit 20 million unitsin 2012 if the economy picks up momentum in thesecond half.Total vehicle sales in China will expand byaround eight percent from a year earlier, theCAAM said in a report.For the entire year, sales of passenger cars willrise 11% to 16 million vehicles, while commercialvehicle sales will drop three percent to 3.9 millionunits.-Xinhua’s China EconomicInformation Service, 27 July"Around 300,000 hectares of plantations will be re-planted and the rest will be intensified toincrease its productivity," he added. "Thegovernment will give aid packages to farmers inthe form of free fertiliser, seedlings, andpesticides."-Reuters News, 19 July6

Malaysia’s NR imports by countries May 2012 pThailand61.9%Others8.2%April 2012 pIndonesia2.7%Vietnam13.8%Myanmar2.1%Cambodia2.6%Philippines7.4%India1.3%Total: 62,388 tonnesTotal: 61,245 tonnesBrazil3.1%Canada0.1%Malaysia’s NR exports by countries May 2012 pChina39.5%France1.6%Germany15.2%April 2012 pOthers26.9%USA2.7%Turkey2.1%Taiwan2.3%Iran2.9%South Korea3.7%Total: 62,863 tonnesNote: P = provisionalTotal: 65,778 tonnesSource: Department of Statistics (DOS)7

Malaysia’s NR exports by types May 2012 pSMR95.9%RSS0.3%April 2012 pOthers0.3%Latex3.5%Total: 62,863 tonnesTotal: 65,778 tonnesMalaysia’s NR consumption by sectors May 2012 pGloves73.7%April 2012 pOther products5.8%Rubber thread8.4%Rubber Compound3.8%Tyres & Tubes8.2%Total: 33,508 tonnesNote: P = provisionalTotal: 35,979 tonnesPublished by the Malaysian Rubber Board, 148 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Tel: 603-9206 2000 Fax: 603-2161 65868Source: Department of Statistics (DOS)