Okavango Rough Sales Soar to $963m
February 23, 22
(IDEX Online) - The Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), wholly owned by the Botswana government, has reported record rough sales of $963m in 2021.
ODC has access to 15 per cent of run-of-mine production from of Debswana, the 50-50 partnership between the government and De Beers.
Sales in 2021 were up by almost five times year-on-year, according to a Bloomberg news report, although no figures were given for comparison.
ODC says on it website that average annual sales are $500m. Sales were severely limited in 2020 because of the pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.
Okavango Diamond Company sold $963 million of rough diamonds last year, said Dennis Tlaang, a company spokesman. The revenue was the most since the company began operations in 2012, he said.
"The demand for natural rough diamonds remained strong throughout 2021 driven primarily by positive market sentiment in key markets such as the United States," said company spokesman Dennis Tlaang, quoted by Bloomberg.
In April 2019 ODC showcased the biggest blue diamond discovery ever made in Botswana (pictured) - 20.46-carat Type IIb, Fancy Deep Blue, oval brilliant cut, VVS2.