U.S Rough Diamond Imports Decline 5.82% in September
November 13, 06 by Edahn Golan
Imports of rough diamonds to the U.S. fell 5.82 percent to $88.84 million on imports of 115,510 carats, a 28.09 percent rise in value compared to September 2005. The shift brought average price per carat (p/c) down to $769.
During the first nine months of the year, the U.S. imported 951,298 carats of rough diamonds worth $586 million at an average value of $896 p/c.
South Africa supplied the U.S. with 57,780 carats of rough worth $45.57 million.
Angola shipped 36,019 carats worth $15.75 million. Imports from Angola are usually much smaller, and infrequent, making the September increase in exports a surprise. Until September, Angola had supplied the U.S. with less than $9.5 million worth of rough diamonds this year.
Rough diamonds coming from Botswana, totaling 9,924 carats, were worth $12.9 million for a high average price of $1,303 p/c.
