MUMBAI, June 7 (Reuters) – Global natural rubber outputcould rise just 0.3 percent in 2016 from a year ago as drop inyields are seen offsetting expansion in the tapping area, theAssociation of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) saidin a statement on Tuesday.
Production from the ANRPC members, which together accountfor about 92 percent of global output, could rise to 11.07million tonnes in 2016 from 11.04 million tonnes a year ago,Sheela Thomas, secretary-general of the ANRPC said.
“Prevailing low natural rubber prices, climatic constraintsand a host of other factors are likely to exert downwardspressure on the average yield,” Thomas said.
The production of ANRPC countries grew 0.8 percent in 2015as falling prices prompted farmers to reduce tapping. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav, editing by David Evans)