4 Major Sectors of Rubber Industries in Malaysia

Malaysia produces timber mainly in the form of saw logs, sawn timber, fibreboard, plywood, mouldings and veneer sheets. 

In Malaysia, cocoa is one of the most valued and important commodities traded globally. The cocoa cultivated area in 2018 was 15,007 hectares. The cocoa processing and manufacturing sector has contributed 0.1% of the total national GDP. Malaysia is reputably known as the second largest processing centre in Asia and the seventh biggest grinder of cocoa beans in the world.

Malaysian cocoa and cocoa products have grown rapidly in the global markets and have extensive market coverage to more than 100 market destinations worldwide. The export earnings from cocoa and cocoa products registered at RM5.551 billion in 2018. The cocoa butter remained the major contributor to the total export earnings accounted for 28.3% followed by re-export of cocoa beans (25.7%), chocolate (18.6%), cocoa powder (18.6%), cocoa paste (7.9%) and cocoa cake (0.8%).

In 2018, there were 51 chocolate and chocolate confectioneries manufacturers companies in Malaysia and 216 chocolate entrepreneurs have registered with the Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB). Overall, the chocolate industry has contributed RM1.03 billion export earnings in 2018.

Known as the "King of spices", Pepper or Piper Nigrum is one of the most valued and important commodities traded globally including Malaysia. In 2018, the cultivation area of pepper by smallholders in Malaysia covered 17,437 hectares of which 98% of the cultivation is in Sarawak and 2% in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia with total production of 31,073 metric tonnes.

Currently, Malaysia is the sixth largest pepper producer in the world. In 2018, Malaysia has exported 11,713 metric tonnes of pepper worth RM201 million to Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. Malaysian pepper is also exported to other countries for instance Europe, Americas, Australia and New Zealand.