These companies had taken the decision to halt the local collection of latex milk until the stocks of latex milk imported from Malaysia and stored in tanks is used.

Although the dry climate is conducive for latex milk extraction, due to the intermittent rains many rubber estate owners had suspended their latex milk extraction operations which has cost many of the rubber tappers their livelihood.

However, rubber is one of the main income sources for the country, but the rubber industry is disgruntled over the lack of interest of the minister in charge regarding the plight of the rubber sector.