Belgian Polished Exports Up 8.2% in March to $1.32B

(IDEX Online News) – Belgian exports of polished diamonds rose by 8.2 percent in March to $1.32 billion from $1.21 billion a year before, according to figures published by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).

Exports in volume terms last month totaled 534,933 carats, down 13.0 from the figure of 614,601 carats in March 2013.

Meanwhile, exports of rough diamonds in March climbed by 5.7 percent to 9.43 million carats from 8.92 million carats a year earlier, but slipped by 2.4 percent to $1.37 billion from $1.40 billion in March last year.

In imports of rough diamonds in March, there was a rise of 10.3 percent to 9.07 million carats from 8.22 million carats last year, and a 13.2 percent jump to $1.34 billion from $1.18 billion in March 2013.

Imports of polished diamonds in volume terms in March edged down 3.6 percent to 695,346 carats from 721,258 carats, but increased to $1.46 billion from $1.27 billion million in March 2013.

Belgium's leading export markets for its polished diamonds in financial terms in March were Hong Kong, the United States, Switzerland, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.

Exports to Hong Kong last month slumped by 57.9 percent on a year earlier to $136.8 million, and soared 52.4 percent in volume terms to 81,598 carats.

Exports to the United States last month inched up 1.2 percent on a year earlier to $316.6 million, but declined by 1.0 percent in volume terms to 59,744 carats.