Price Of South Sumatra's Rubber Up

Palembang, S Sulawesi, April 4 (Antara) - The South Sumatra branch of Indonesian Association of rubber companies (Gapkindo) said the price of rubber latex of 90 percent quality rose to Rp22,865 per kilogram on Thursday from Rp22,650 two days earlier. The price of latex of 90 percent quality has fluctuated in the past two weeks and tended to decline, the secretary of the provincial branch of Gapkindo Awie Aman said here on Thursday. Based on data at Gapkindo, the price of South Sumatra`s rubber has since March 20 fluctuated to follow the prevailing price in international market as most of the rubber production is for exports. Awie said the price peaked at Rp24,219 per kilogram on March 21 , but it fell to Rp22,650 per kg on April 2 before rising to Rp22,865 on April 4 . He said the market is not yet stable but the price was still higher than Rp22,000 per kilogram. Natural rubber is the main export commodities other than oil and gas from South Sumatra. Exports are made by latex processing companies which collect latex from farmers, Awie said, adding exports average 65,000 tons per month . Rubber producing districts in the province include Muaraenim, Lahat, Banyuasin, Musibanyuasin, Ogan Komering Ilir and Ogan Komering Ulu. The regional plantation service said South Sumatra has more than one million hectares of rubber plantations including smallholders, state and private companies` plantations. Local farmers have complained about the falling price of the commodity lately .