Belgium's polished diamond exports rose 19% in December

In December 2011, there was a 19 percent increase (on y-o-y basis ) in Belgium’s polished diamond exports to $1.21 billion. In volume terms there was a 10 percent drop in the said exports to 659,388.23 carats. The average price of the polished diamond exports were up 32 percent to $1,836.99 per carat.

In the month, the country’s polished diamond imports rose 37 percent to $1.1 billion. The net polished exports (valued as the excess of exports over imports), dropped 48 percent to $113.3 million.

There was a growth in the value of its rough diamond imports, which rose 17 percent (on y-o-y basis) to $825.2 million, while the value of its rough diamond exports jumped 5 percent to $1.19 billion.

The country’s net rough imports (valued as imports less exports) saw a 15 percent improvement, although it continued to reflect in deficit of $367.6 million.

At the end of the month, the country’s net diamond account (valued as total exports of rough and polished less total imports) slipped 26 percent to $480.9 million.