June 2010 led Israel’s net diamond account to increase to $27.3 million, from a negative $63.5 million in the same month last year. Polished diamond exports spurred in value terms by three times to $457.85 million, and by 119 percent in volume terms to 280,555.83 carats, in the said month. The average price of polished exports rose 18 percent to $1,631.94 per carat, as compared to June 2009.

Fifty-two percent of the polished exports were driven to Hong Kong, while U.S., Belgium, India and China were the next top five nations receiving Israel’s polished diamonds.

Imports of polished diamonds rose 93 percent to $389.2 million. The country’s net polished exports (calculated as excess of exports over imports) showed a positive $68.7 million, from negative $25 million as compared to year ago figures.

Rough diamond imports rose 42 percent to $355.9 million, and rough exports jumped 48 percent to $314.5 million. This led the country’s net rough imports (measured as the excess of imports over exports) to rise 7 percent to $41.4 million.