Thailand floods could cut rubber output by 320,000 tons
Thailand shipped out 2.86 tons of rubber in the January-September period, down 5.9% annually
FLOODS in Thailand’s southern region could cut rubber production by 320,000 metric tons from a government target of 4.78 million tons for this year, the national rubber authority said on Tuesday (Dec 3).
The reduced output will affect rubber shipments in 2024 from Thailand, the world’s biggest rubber exporter, said the Rubber Authority of Thailand’s acting governor Sukatus Tarngwiriyakul.
“The flooding has prevented rubber farmers from tapping rubber,” he told Reuters, adding domestic rubber consumption would also impacted.
The South-east Asian country shipped out 2.86 tons of rubber in the January-September period, down 5.9 per cent annually.
In 2023, rubber exports were at 4 million tons.
Thailand has about 953,600 hectares of rubber planting areas in eight southern provinces, the rubber authority said.
Southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia have been hit by some of the worst flooding in decades, with dozens dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. Authorities have warned of more heavy rain this week.
The death toll in Thailand is 25, and more than 300,000 households were still affected, the interior ministry said. The government said it would offer support payments of US$262 for each affected household.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned people in the south to beware of heavy to very heavy rains and possible flash flooding and overflows from Dec 3-5. REUTERS
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