JAKARTA, March 4 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s rubber production in 2016 is expected to come in at 3.1 million tonnes, a small decline from output last year, Moenarji Soedargo, chairman of the country’s rubber industry association (Gapkindo) told reporters on Friday. Output in the world’s second-largest rubber producer will be impacted this year by the long dry season seen in the second half of 2015, Soedargo said, but he does not expect further weather disruptions in 2016.
In October last year, Soedargo had estimated 2015 production at 3.2 million tonnes. “The rainy season had begun by the start of the year, with no more forest fires, so things have returned to normal because rubber trees are not as fragile as other trees,” he said.
(Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe; Editing by Tom Hogue)
