Natural rubber output up 14.3pc in Dec

KUALA LUMPUR: Natural rubber production rose 14.3 per cent in December last year to 67,125 tonnes from 58,733 tonnes produced in the previous month, said the Department of Statistics yesterday. Stocks rose 6.4 per cent to 230,315 tonnes at the end of December 2017 compared with the preceding month and was 13.2 per cent better than December 2016. Smallholders accounted for more than 90 per cent of the rubber produced in December, said the department in the statement.