KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- Exports of
Malaysian gloves are expected to increase by at least five to eight percent this
year from total exports of 52.9 billion pieces last year.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui,
said this growth projection was based on global trends.
Gloves manufacturers in the country must adopt the Standard Malaysian Glove (SMG)
certification in marketing their products in overseas markets, he said.
"This is due to the increasing recognition for this certification in the US
after several initiatives undertaken by the Malaysian government and industry to
promote it," he told reporters after launching the Standard Malaysian
Rubber Scheme.
To-date, there are 29 Malaysian glove factories certified as SMG producers, 18
of them are powdered glove production while 22 for powder free and 11 for both
types of gloves.
"Although this represents about 40 percent of total gloves production in
Malaysia, I am sure we can do better to make SMG a successful and competitive
national and global brand," he said.
He indicated that glove manufacturers could also look for some form of financial
subsidy to promote rubber gloves under the SMG certification in overseas market.
He said that the financing is provided by the rubber industry co-ordinated by
the Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council in collaboration with the
Malaysian Rubber Board.
"Rubber glove manufacturers should also focus on building their brand and
stop undercutting each other as they will end up losing in this industry,"
he said.
"Price competition generally degenerates into a struggle for price
leadership and no one ends up making much money," he said.
-- BERNAMA