Belgian Polished Exports Up On Year In July
August 20, 14
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Exports in volume terms last month totaled 756,043 carats, from the figure of 696,684 carats in July 2013.
Exports rose by 35.6 percent in carat terms on the figure for June and increased by 1.4 percent in dollar terms.
Meanwhile, exports of rough diamonds in July surged to 12.123 million carats from 11.958 million carats a year earlier, and climbed to $1.797 billion from $1.540 billion in July last year.
Exports rose by 18.5 percent in carat terms on the figure for June and increased by 35.7 percent in dollar terms.
In imports of rough diamonds in July, there was a rise to 7.630 million carats from 7.052 million carats last year, but a rise to $1.225 billion from $1.020 billion in July 2013.
Imports of polished diamonds in volume terms edged down last month to 525,442 carats from 554,546 carats, but increased to $1.026 billion from $940,401 in July 2013.
Belgium's leading export markets for its polished diamonds in financial terms in the first half of this year were the United States, Hong Kong, Israel, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
Exports to the United States in July inched down last month from a year earlier to $428.1 million from 435.8 million, but increased slightly in volume terms to 96,272 carats from 93,379 carats.
Meanwhile, exports to Hong Kong last month were $271.5 million from $233.4 million, and increased in volume terms to 191,351 carats from 144,791 carats.
“When comparing the first seven months of 2014 to the same period last year, we see a slight decline in the volume of polished diamonds traded, with increases in all other trade figures,” the AWDC said in a statement.