Thai April rubber exports fall

Thai rubber exports fell 16.5 percent in April from a year earlier due to limited supply and extra holidays, according to government data and traders on Thursday. Supply has dropped sharply as farmers stopped tapping during the dry season, when rubber trees stop producing latex.
Although farmers resumed tapping earlier than expected in late April, unseasonable rains subsequently hit rubber areas, disrupting work, traders said. On top of the usual three-day holiday for the Songkran water festival, the government announced additional holidays during the month to help it tackle political unrest.Thailand, the world's largest rubber producer, sold 2.83 million tonnes of rubber in 2008, down from 2.97 million tonnes in 2007, according to Agriculture Ministry data.