Drop in Botswana's Diamond Exports in September

(IDEX Online News) – After months of growing diamond exports, Botswana's leading economic driver registered a sudden fall in September. Diamond exports totaled $166.8 million, dropping 32.6 percent year-over-year and 68.5 percent month-over-month.

The exports, which include rough and polished diamonds, are the lowest since December 2010, based on recently published figures by the bank of Botswana.

Exports from the African country peaked in June when they rose to $670.8 million.

In the first nine months of 2011, Botswana exported $3.7 billion worth of diamonds.

The Bank of Botswana collects the data from major exporters, including Diamond Trading Company Botswana, BCL, BOTASH, BMC, Teemane Manufacturing Co, Leo Schachter Botswana, Tati Nickel Mining Company, Mupane Gold Mining and Statistics Botswana.

Source: Bank of Botswana