Tin exports fall 25 percent in February

Indonesia's monthly tin exports dropped sharply in February this year despite the sharp increase in the metal's prices in the world market.

According to data from the ministry of trade, the volume of Indonesia's tin exports fell about 25 percent to 7,431.27 tons in February from 9,914.4 tons in January. In terms of value, the tin exports also dropped to US$118.40 million in February from $156.05 million tons in January.

The country's largest tin producer PT Timah also suffered a significant drop in its tin exports during the month to 2,697 tons from 4,148 tons in January. The total value of the company's tin exports also fell to $43.81 million from $65.57 million during the period.

Hartojo Agus Chayono, the Director for Industrial and Mineral Export Products at the Ministry of Trade said that in addition to those of PT Timah, exports by other tin producers also experiended a substantial drop in February.

The suspension of PT Koba Tin's operation also contributed to the significant drop in the tin exports. The Malaysian-controlled company's processing unit in Bangka, which has the capacity to produce about 20,000 tons of tin a year, was closed by the police in January this year on charges that the firm bought tin ores from illegal tin miners. (*)