Kuala lumpur: The export value of Malaysia’s rubber glove sector reached RM6 billion between January 2025 and May 2025, as stated by Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. Despite facing challenges from the United States imposing tariffs on rubber glove products, the industry has shown resilience.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Johari noted that Malaysian goods exported to the US are subject to a 19 percent tariff, mirroring the rate applied to Thailand, while China encounters a significantly higher tariff of 55 percent. This situation affords Malaysia a slight competitive advantage over these two principal rival countries. Johari made these remarks while concluding the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) for the Plantation and Commodities Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat.
Johari was responding to a query from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap) about the challenges the rubber industry could face following the US tariff imposition. The minister emphasized Malaysia’s competitive edge in marketing rubber gloves through a comprehensive production ecosystem, economies of scale, consistently high product quality, and a diverse market for both natural and synthetic rubber gloves.
Additionally, Johari mentioned several strategic projects proposed under the 13MP, including the Malaysia Sustainable Natural Rubber (MSNR) initiative, the development of a geospatial system for smart agriculture, and the creation of an Integrated Digital System for Rubber Technology Development and Transfer. Other proposals encompass the development of a Digital Breeding Data System and Rubber Clone Verification Platform, eco-friendly latex stabilizer technology, and facilities for designing smart rubber compounds to support small and medium enterprises. The total funding requested for these projects is RM114.8 million.
Johari further elaborated that the Plantation and Commodities Ministry is finalizing improvements to the Rubber Production Incentive (IPG), which will be implemented based on productivity. Under this new policy, smallholders who meet target productivity levels will receive financial rewards, while those who do not fully cultivate their holdings will not be eligible for incentives.