Export activities of rubber commodities from North Sumatra experienced a significant decline in April 2021. Executive Secretary at the Rubber Association of Indonesia (GAPKINDO) for North Sumatra Region, Edy Irwansyah, said that North Sumatra’s rubber export performance in April 2021 was only 31,555 tons. It fell 10.3% compared to the previous month, which reached 35,190 tons.
However, Edy said the total rubber export volume during January-April 2021 increased by 3.4% to 131,718 tons compared to the same period in 2020 of 127,438 tons. The decline in export volume in April 2021, said Edy, was mainly due to requests for rescheduled shipments from importers. This rescheduling request was alleged because the shipping company had a limited supply of containers.
In addition, the decline in export volume was also due to a lack of raw materials because production from rubber plantations was disrupted by the La Nina phenomenon, which is expected to end at the end of June 2021, added Edy. ***
sindonews.com, 31/05/2021