Malaysia rubber exports reach record high in 2021

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s rubber and rubber products exports reached a record high of 71 billion ringgit (about 16.94 billion U.S. dollars) in 2021, increased by 46.3 percent from 48.5 billion ringgit in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the rubber gloves usage.

In 2021, latex goods contributed 91.8 percent to the total rubber products exports with rubber gloves remaining the leader of the pack, Malaysian Rubber Council said in a statement.

According to the council, rubber gloves contributed 88.9 percent to the total rubber products export at 54.8 billion ringgit, an increase of 55.4 percent over the same period in 2020 at 35.3 billion ringgit.

This is followed by Industrial Rubber Goods (IRG), an increase of 40.7 percent amounting to 1.3 billion ringgit compared to the same period in 2020 at 900 million ringgit.

Meanwhile, export of tyres showed an increase of 30.7 percent at 1.7 billion ringgit, compared to 1.3 billion ringgit in 2020, while footwear and general rubber goods recorded an increase of 19.6 percent and 13 percent respectively.

Other latex (non-gloves) products indicated lower growth at 7.3 percent as strong expansion in latex thread (47.4 percent) is offset by contractions in catheters, condoms, and foam products. (1 U.S. dollar equals 4.19 ringgit)