KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Feb. 2, 2012) — Natural rubber (NR) production will increase just 0.3 percent in the first quarter, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) predicts.
The group of 11 Asian NR producers said it anticipates exports of Hevea rubber will be lower in the quarter, and imports among members should rise 3.8 percent in the three-month period.
The ANRPC said its members produced about 92 percent of the world's NR output in 2010.
This report appeared on the website of European Rubber Journal, a U.K.-based sister publication of Tire Business.