Japan’s Polished Diamond Imports Level Off in August
October 01, 07 by Edahn Golan
Bucking this year’s trend, Japan’s imports of polished diamonds increased in August, though inching up a minuscule 1.2 percent. The country imported $61.55 million worth of diamonds. Imports of 178,394 carats, a 9.1 percent decline from August 2006, brought the average value of imports to $345 per carat.
Japan’s imports of diamonds have been sharply lower in value and volume this year, though average import values have gone largely unchanged, just shy of $400 p/c: $396 p/c this year compared to $391 p/c in 2006.
A strong rise in imports from India – up 31 percent to $37.44 million – offset the sharp 45.9 percent drop in imports from Belgium (to $5.62 million) and Israel (54.6% to $2.87 million). Imports from the U.S. more than doubled to $4.3 million.
In volume, shipments from India declined 5.1 percent to 151,434 carats. Imports from Belgium fell 62.2 percent to 4,607 carats and imports from Israel dropped 44.3 percent to 2,459 carats.
