Natural rubber exporters worldwide distribution 2023, by country

The 15 largest exporters of natural rubber accounted for 94 percent of global rubber shipments in 2023. The production of natural rubber has been increasing since 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic affected annual production volume. The industry recovered to pre-pandemic levels of rubber consumption in 2021.

A global outlook on rubber production

Due to the suitable climate and cultivating conditions, Southeast Asia is home to nearly 80 percent of natural rubber production worldwide. In 2022, the region produced almost 13 million metric tons of natural rubber, 85 percent of global output. The next largest regional producer, Africa, produced more than 1.7 million metric tons in the same year, which accounted for 11 percent of global production. The hot, damp climatic conditions in West Africa, like those of Southeast Asia, are ideal for growing rubber trees. Additional harvest area required to meet higher levels of natural rubber consumption is forecast to be 5.1 million hectares in 2030. 

Regional rubber exporters

Thailand was the world’s largest exporter of natural rubber in 2022, having accounted for approximately 32 percent of global exports that year. Thailand's natural rubber production that year was 4.8 million metric tons, making the Southeast Asian country the largest producer of natural rubber worldwide. The largest plantations are located towards the south of the country and cover an area of 20,000 square kilometers, an area almost as large as Wales. The world’s third leading natural rubber exporter and one of the few countries outside of Southeast Asia to produce a large amount of natural rubber in 2022 was the Ivory Coast. The African nation accounted for a natural rubber export value amounting to nearly 1.9 billion U.S. dollars that year.