Belgium recorded a 13 percent increase in its polished diamond exports in December 2009, which amounted to $779.5 million, reports say. In terms of volume, the polished diamond exports resulted in a 19 percent increase in the said month to 687,791.42 carats. The average price of the diamonds dipped 5 percent to $1,133.27 per carat, over the month last year.

The country’s polished imports also increased but little, by 2 percent to $640.8 million. The net polished exports (calculated as excess of exports over imports) rose more than two times to $138.7 million.

The imports of rough diamonds into the country in the said month doubled to $483.8 million, and as per volume it increased 46 percent to 6.566 million carats. The average price on rough imports shot up by 37 percent to $73.68 per carat. Exports of roughs almost increased three times to $851.7 million in the month. The net rough imports (excess of imports over exports) resulted in a negative $367.9 million, from negative $66.5 million during December last year. The country’s net diamond account in the said month (representing total exports less total imports) increased by four-times to $506.5 million.