KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): The value of Malaysia’s rubber exports dropped to RM35.99 billion in 2022 compared with RM71.01 billion in 2021, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the rubber industry contributed 0.9% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.

“Cuplump production fell 16.6% and latex dropped 52.7% in the five years from 2017 to 2022.

“Total natural rubber imports declined 1.3% in 2022. Last year, Malaysia imported a total of 286,943 tonnes of latex worth RM2.72 billion,” he said in a post on his Facebook page.

The deputy prime minister added that he had chaired Thursday's (May 18) Fourth Dialogue Session with the Agricommodity Industry that also involved the rubber sector.