In May 2017, ALROSA, the world leader in diamond mining, clocked rough and polished diamond sales worth USD 472.1 million, which is 33 percent higher compared to a year earlier. In the same month, the company revenue from rough diamond sales amounted to USD 467.6 million, polished diamond sales – USD 4.5 million.

Between the five months January–May 2017, ALROSA’s rough and polished diamond sales exceeded USD 2.13 billion albeit 5 percent below the same period in 2016. Rough diamond sales valued USD 2.09 billion, and polished diamond sales stood at USD 44.3 million.

Commenting on a 5-percent reduction of the cost of diamonds sold in January-May this year from the same period a year earlier, ALROSA Vice President Yury Okoemov reminded that early in 2016 the company sold a substantial part of high-priced rough diamonds from previously accumulated stocks. This year, the share of small-size, inexpensive rough diamonds in total sales is higher, which, above all, is related to the composition of stock as at the start of the year.

He also noted a revival of demand for inexpensive rough diamonds in India, which showed a noticeable slowdown late last year as a result of a monetary reform in this country.