Belgium Sees Jump in Polished Exports

RAPAPORT… Belgium’s polished-diamond exports grew in October,
according to data the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) released this week.




Polished exports for the month increased 6% year on year to
$817.9 million. By volume, orders declined 4% to 406,065 carats, with the
average price jumping 10% to $2,014 per carat.



Polished imports dropped 1% to $787.3 million, meaning net
polished exports — the balance of exports minus imports — stood at $30.6 million, compared with negative $20.8 million a year ago.



Rough imports increased 1% to $904.3 million, while rough
exports rose 15% to $830.2 million. Net rough imports, calculated as imports
minus exports, decreased 58% to $74.1 million.



The nation’s net diamond account — a calculation of total
exports of rough and polished minus total imports, measuring the added value of
Belgium’s diamond industry during the period — stood at negative $43.5 million, an improvement over last year’s figure of negative $197.2 million.



Over the first 10 months of the year, polished exports
dropped 6% to $9.5 billion, while rough imports slid 12% to $8.98 billion.



Image: The Port House, Antwerp