Jakarta – Indonesia's rubber production could fall by eight percent this year because of the El Nino weather phenomenon, a report said here Tuesday.

"The El Nino can reduce the Indonesian production by some eight percent," Chairman of the Indonesian Rubber Association (Gapkindo), Asril Sutan Amir said according to the Bisnis Indonesia daily.

Experts have warned that El Nino may strike again this year. It caused major long droughts in Indonesia in 1991-92, leading to a fall in the production of various commodities.

Gapkindo has forecast Indonesia's natural rubber production would only reach 1.44 million tonnes this year. Indonesia produced 1.56 million tonnes of rubber in the first 10 months of 2001. A total of 1.2 tonnes were exported that year.