Malaysia cannot control rubber prices in the global market as it does not have the majority say, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister.

The elephants are gone. The trees are logged out. The Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary in central Cambodia is largely destroyed, after being handed over by the government to a politically well-connected local plantation company to grow rubber.

The government has launched a strategic initiative to revitalise the rubber industry in the face of supply chain disruptions and prolonged low rubber prices at the farm level.

Japanese rubber futures snapped a three-day rally on Wednesday, as traders reacted to discouraging manufacturing data from China and the yen continued to strengthen.

THE Rubber Industries Smallholders Development Authority’s (RISDA) recent National Direction Seminar for Rubber Industry Smallholders highlighted the struggles of rubber smallholders and discussed ways to increase Malaysia’s rubber production.

Malaysia cannot control rubber prices in the global market as it does not have the majority say, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who is also plantation and commodities minister.

Japanese rubber futures closed at a three-week low on Friday, weighed by a stronger yen and poor economic data in Japan. The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for May delivery fell 6.3 yen or 2.4%, at 256.7 yen ($1.73) per kg.

Japanese rubber futures snapped a three-day rally on Wednesday, as traders reacted to discouraging manufacturing data from China and the yen continued to strengthen.