Rain may send price of condoms soaring

The cost of condoms, tyres and gloves is set to soar following rainstorms across the world's main rubber-producing regions.

Drought earlier this year and heavy rains later on have hampered rubber tree-tapping across Asian plantations, analysts said.

The conditions have hit global production just as demand for rubber is increasing as the world economy recovers - hitting products from cars to condoms over the next couple of years.

Production in Thailand, the world's biggest producer, may drop as much as 5 per cent this year as rain disrupts the tapping.

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