Rain may send price of condoms soaring

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.