The status of the rubber industry in Malaysia and its prospects

摘要

1 INTRODUCTIONThe rubber growing and rubber downstream manufacturing industry remains a majorcontributor to the growth and export earnings of Malaysia. The performance of the rubberindustry in Malaysia was impressive in 2006. With the strong showing of natural rubber price,the export of raw natural rubber in Malaysia has increased to more than 1.13 million tonnes in2006 and has earned export revenue of over RM 8 billion. The export-oriented Malaysianmanufacturing industry of rubber-based products continued to expand strongly havingestablished itself for more than two decades as a global supplier of consistently high qualityproducts,particularly for products based on natural rubber latex such as medical gloves,catheters and latex threads. Malaysia maintained its position as the world's largest supplierin these three main products from latex. The rubber product sector contributed RM 8.95billion in export eaming. The rubber wood furniture also added another RM 7.62 billion inexport revenue. With the three sectors achieving significant growth and expansion,theintegrated rubber industry contributed more than RM 25.64 billion to export earning in 2006.Planting of rubber is now not solely for its latex but for its timber as well.