Belgium’s polished diamond exports up 39% in July

In July 2011, Belgium clocked in polished diamond exports worth $1.56 billion, an increase of 39 percent y-o-y, in value terms but rose 12 percent in volume terms to 911,115.44 carats. The average price of the polished diamond exports rose 24 percent to $1,711.11 per carat. In the month, imports of polished diamonds rose 47 percent to $1.18 billion. The net polished exports (valued as exports less imports) increased 20 percent to $380.9 million.

Rough diamond exports increased 85 percent to $1.86 billion in value terms and the said imports rose 105 percent to $1.42 billion. Net rough imports dropped 42 percent to a deficit of $444.4 million (exports exceeded imports).

Belgium’s polished diamond exports found a good boost in the month to markets like U.S. ( a rise of 38 percent to $458.7 million), Israel ( a 53 percent increase to $193.8 million) and India (a rise of 60 percent to $184 million). Exports to Hong Kong rose by a minor 3 percent to $195.5 million.

The country’s July net diamond account increased 31 percent to $825.3 million.