Malaysia's tin output down

Malaysia's tin output down

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's tin production fell 42 percent over the year in the nine months to September, aggravated by a 15 percent fall in output in September, the statistics department said yesterday.

Production for January to September fell 3,586 tons to 4,967 tons, as September's output declined by 91 tons to 524 tons.

But local demand for tin rose 158 tons, or four percent, to 3,949 tons in the nine-month period, although consumption in September thinned seven percent to 458 tons, the department said.

Malaysia had to raise imports by 34 percent in the nine-month period, with the bulk of the purchases coming from Peru, followed by Portugal, Australia, Vietnam, Britain, China and Russia, it said.

Exports of tin metal declined one percent to 27,149 tons over the nine months, largely absorbed by Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Australia, Britain and Germany.

Demand on the home front increased four percent during the period to 3,949 tons over the same period of last year, it said.