Belgium’s polished exports rise 44.5% in June

Belgium’s diamond trade has seen an appreciable surge in value terms during June 2010, mirroring the pattern observed in its first half of 2010.

Polished diamond exports rose 44.5 percent to $1.09 billion, but by a mere 3.25 percent in volume terms to 680,720 carats, as compared to June 2009. Polished imports rose 40.3 percent in value to $1.06 billion, but dipped 1.5 percent to 664,893 carats as compared to June 2009.

Between January-June 2010, polished exports rose 32.2 percent to $5.35 billion, and by 2.5 percent in volume to 3.63 million carats in comparison to H1’09. Imports of polished diamonds rose 30.8 percent to $5.04 billion, and by 2.7 percent in volume to 3.87 million carats, compared to the corresponding period last year.

Rough diamond exports in June 2010 rose 57.4 percent to $1.02 billion in value and by 28.0 percent to 13.7 million carats in volume. Rough imports rose 34.6 percent to $885.7 million in value and by 24.8 percent in volume to 9.75 million carats.

The first six months of 2010, saw Belgium’s rough exports surging 78.9 percent to 69.9 million carats and by 87.8 percent in volume to $5.68 billion. Rough imports increased 57.4 percent to 60.1 million carats and by 84.8 percent in volume to $4.9 billion, as compared to H1’09.