Indonesia Feb Tin Exports Fall 11.6 pct Yr/Yr-Ministry

Mar. 15 -- Indonesia's refined tin exports fell nearly 12 percent in February from a year ago as rains hampered mining, trade ministry data showed on Monday, with the lower shipments from the world's top tin exporter likely to support prices.

Three-month tin on the London Metal Exchange hit a record high above $32,000 a tonne in mid-February because of supply concerns in Indonesia. The price has since eased to below $30,000, but is still up around 10 percent so far this year.

Indonesia shipped 6,181.42 tonnes in February this year, compared to 6,994.01 tonnes in the same month a year ago.

"Rains still occur in Bangka-Belitung islands, hampering supply of tin ore," said an official at the trade ministry who declined to be named.

The State Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has said that the main tin-producing Bangka-Belitung islands will not have drier weather until July.