During November 2010, Belgium’s polished diamond exports rose 28.4 percent to $949.5 million (value) and 22 percent to 711,554 carats (volume), as stated by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre Diamond Office. Polished diamond imports also rose, by 16.8 percent to 687,148 carats (volume) and by 29.3 percent to $905.8 million (value).

The country’s rough diamond exports dipped 19.7 percent to 9.4 million carats (volume) and by 0.6 percent (value) $833.2 million. Import of rough diamonds increased 14.42 percent to 9.25 million carats (volume) and by 26.7 percent to $919.4 million (value).

The country’s polished diamond exports for the period of first 11 months of 2010 rose 7.1 percent at 7.06 million carats (volume) and by 28.3 percent to $10.1 billion (value). Imports of polished diamonds rose 9.6 percent to 7.43 million carats (volume) and by 30.3 percent to $9.52 billion (value).

Also, in the 11 months, rough diamond exports increased 36.4 percent to 115.4 million carats (volume) and by 50.5 percent to $9.85 billion (value). Imports of rough diamonds in the said period jumped 27.2 percent to100.5 million carats (volume) and by 48.9 percent to $7.86 billion (value).