The Indonesian Rubber Board says Indonesia's rubber production is expected to reach 3.16 million tons in 2016, up 1.61 percent (y/y) from last year's realization. The board said rising output comes on the back of an increase in the size of Indonesia's rubber plantations and an increase in productivity at the existing plantations. Indonesia is the world's second-largest rubber producer (after Thailand) and therefore its output has a major impact on global rubber prices (about 85 percent of Indonesia's rubber production is exported abroad).

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Sales of tires in Indonesia are expected to remain bleak in 2016. Azis Pane, Chairman of the Indonesian Tire Companies Association (APBI), said sales of tires this year may only reach 8.5 million units (roughly the same sales figure as in the preceding year), while exports of Indonesian-made tires may fall to 30 million units (from a "normal" figure of 45 million). Domestic tire sales are highly dependent on the nation's car and motorcycle sales. Indonesia's February motorcycle sales declined 5.6 percent (y/y) to 524,864 units in February 2016, after a 17.2 percent (y/y) plunge in the preceding month.

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