UPDATE 1-Indonesia Sees April Tin Exports up 30 pct y/y

JAKARTA, May 19 -- Indonesia's refined tin exports are estimated at 7,926.49 tonnes in April, up from 6,082.37 tonnes a year earlier, trade ministry data showed on Tuesday, largely thanks to better weather conditions.

Indonesia, the world's biggest tin exporter, shipped 27,901.09 tonnes of refined tin in the January-April period this year, compared to 32,040.89 tonnes in the same period last year.

Tin production in the first three months of 2010 was hurt by heavy rains which made it harder to mine for tin offshore.

"Besides the improved weather, demand has picked up from a year ago because of the economic recovery," said a trade official who declined to be named.

Tin is used in soldering electronic goods and for food packaging.

The bulk, or 77.5 percent, of Indonesia's April tin exports were shipped to Singapore and the rest went to Taiwan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Japan, the United States, China, Turkey, South Korea, Pakistan, India, and Hong Kong.