Indonesia to increase rubber output

Indonesia, the world's second largest natural rubber producer, is expected to produce 2.4 million tons of rubber this year compared to 2 million tons in 2004, an official has said. Indonesia whose rubber plantations cover an area of around 3 million hectares saw a 5-7 percent increase in its rubber output in each of the past three years, director of the Rubber Research Center (PPK) Chairil Anwar said here on Thursday. Meanwhile, Thailand which has around 2 million hectares of rubber plantations produces an estimated 3 million tons of rubber per year, making it the world`s largest natural rubber producer, he said.