Indonesia rubber export to China jumps 63%

Indonesia's rubber export to China surged 63.7 percent in two months ending February 2008 from the same period last year, taking advantage of supply disruptions from Thailand and Malaysia, local press said Thursday.

Over the period, rubber export to China rose to 56,190 tons from 34,325 tons, reported leading economic daily Bisnis Indonesia, citing data from the Indonesian Rubber Companies Association (Gapkindo).

Unlike the two neighbors, Indonesia has plenty rubber plantations on the southern side across the equator with longer productive season.

When production in Thailand and Malaysia was disrupted by the falling season, Indonesia was able to optimize deliveries to China, Gapkindo director Suharto Honggokusumo was quoted as saying.

According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the value of raw rubber and rubber-based product exports to all destinations increased to 1.21 billion U.S. dollars in the first two months of 2008 from 854.3 million dollars in the same period last year.

Source:Xinhua