24 July 2019, Reuters

Indonesia’s natural rubber output is expected to drop 15% in 2019 compared to 2018’s production of 3.76 million tonnes due to a fungal disease, a senior agricultural ministry official said on Wednesday.

“The (disease causing) fungus has attacked around 381,900 hectares (of plantations) and is predicted to spread further,” said Kasdi Subagyono, the ministry’s plantation director general.

Subagyono said the rubber plantations affected so far are in South Sumatra, North Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan.

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