Malaysia remains the world's top producer of natural rubber gloves and its second-largest producer of condoms.
Plantations and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said natural rubber glove exports are valued at RM15.57 billion, accounting for 46 per cent of the country's total rubber-based exports.
"Malaysia is the world's largest producer of natural rubber gloves and the second-largest producer of condoms," she said in a written parliamentary reply last night.
She said this indicates significant potential to strengthen the dry rubber subsector to a level comparable with the glove industry.
Currently, the subsector is supported by about 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) producing specialised products for niche markets.
Noraini was responding to Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu), who asked about measures to strengthen the downstream rubber industry, particularly the glove manufacturing sector.
To further empower the nation's downstream rubber sector, the ministry, through the Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) and the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM), is implementing a comprehensive range of initiatives.
These efforts are specifically designed to encompass promotion, capacity building, automation, digitalisation, green technology, and sustainability.
The MRC is also actively driving international promotional activities, including trade exhibitions, business matching, and awareness seminars.
These efforts target markets in the United States, Europe, China, India, and the Middle East, while simultaneously penetrating high-population markets like Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, and Turkiye, as well as emerging markets in Africa.
To ensure impact, these activities involve the direct participation of industry players, with a portion of the costs borne by the MRC.
Source: NST