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BEAUFORT: The Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) has introduced latex pillow production as part of efforts to increase the value of Sabah’s rubber industry and benefit more than 120,000 smallholders in the State.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the initiative aims to add value to locally produced latex, which was previously exported to Johor for use in the glove manufacturing industry.

He said LIGS had converted an existing factory into a processing facility producing pillows made entirely from Sabah latex, with the plant commencing production on May 29 and operating for the past two weeks.

Jamawi said the factory can currently produce up to 400 pillows daily in an eight-hour shift, while latex offcuts are also processed into Proboscis Monkey souvenirs that could be promoted in conjunction with Visit Sabah Year 2027.

He said the project could improve returns for smallholders, with plans to expand the downstream rubber industry through a second-phase development in Tenom if the Beaufort initiative proves successful.