Belgium February Polished Exports Show Rise

Exports of polished diamonds from the Belgium center rose 16.27 percent in value during February while imports declined 5.37 percent during the month. In terms of weight, both imports and exports were on the rise.

Antwerp exported 835,685.72 carats valued at $605,546,731 an increase of 12.65 percent in weight terms. The center imported 793,085.98 carats, an increase of 1.5 percent, to the tune of $528,379,159.

Analysts explain the discrepancy between exports and imports as resulting from the increased imports last January (1,015,603.50 carats valued $638,171,482 an increase of nearly 15 percent), which satisfied market needs.

The year is starting strong in Belgium just as in the Israeli center as the first two months show an increase of 11.15 percent in exports and 4.87 percent in polished imports.

Exports to the US have seen a small rise of 0.5 percent to $204,796,139 but since the start of the year exports to the main market have declined 4.4 percent in value.

After the US, Hong Kong, Israel and Italy were the leading destinations of exports from the center.