KUALA LUMPUR: A comprehensive and systematic approach to reorganise smallholder rubber farmers into a federation, coupled with replanting of higher-yielding rubber tree varieties, will be critical for Malaysia to reclaim its position as the world’s leading rubber producer.
Industry expert Denis Low said the government, through the Malaysian Rubber Board, should also develop better clones and saplings to be first provided to the smallholders and subsequently to other new players for this rejuvenation.
He said Malaysia is naturally a conducive rubber plantation country, and the trees grow very well in our country.
“The improvement must come from better clones to produce better-yielding trees.
“A systematic planting, fertilising, tapping and processing techniques must be further developed to make Malaysia a true rubber knowledge destination,” he told Bernama.
Low also suggested that the government create new planters via the form of villagers and householders along a route in the rural or semi-rural area for easy collection of their products later.
“For farmers, they should be trained with better harvesting techniques and provided support in terms of an organised fertilisation process and fertilisers at economical wholesale rate plus technique,” he noted.
Low said industry players must be motivated to increase the output tonnages required to sustain the rubber industry ecosystem.
“The rubber processors must reorganise in tandem with the output, and as many of these processors are in our neighbouring countries, they can be incentivised to relocate as well.
“This includes, principally, the down-stream industry like tyre production, foam rubber mattress producers, condom makers, and most importantly, the rubber glove manufacturers who are truly the big consumer of bulk rubber latex,” he noted.
Low posited that when our own industries consume more rubber, the export of rubber becomes secondary.
“Thus, the big plan is to also incentivise and encourage more downstream activities and external players in the rubber products industry to be located in our country,” he said.Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that Malaysia is targeting to reclaim its position as the world’s leading rubber producer within the next decade.
He said the target is achievable, provided that replanting efforts and innovation within the rubber industry are carried out comprehensively and systematically.
The rubber industry is Malaysia’s second most important commodity after palm oil as the country is the world’s sixth largest producer of natural rubber, with a production value of 640,000 tonnes in 2019, after Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cote d’Ivoire, China and India.
According to the Statistics Department, Malaysia’s natural rubber production grew by 20.6% to 38,400 tonnes in October 2024, compared to 31,847 tonnes in September 2024.
