U.S. Polished Imports $1.212 billion in April

Polished diamond imports to the U.S. in April have increased 8.47 percent (to $1.21 billion) compared to April 2006, and declined 8.1 percent in volume to 1,056,505 carats, an average of $1,147.47 p/c (per carat).

Compared to March 2007, imports declined in value 20.61 percent and 19.78 percent in volume. This decline is typical and happened last year as well.

Imports from Israel, the leading supplier by value, represented 52.2 percent of total imports in April. Israel was source for $607 million worth of goods, shipping 229,340 carats with an average value of $2,646.81 p/c.

India, source of 58.1 percent of goods by volume, shipped $246 million in polished diamonds with a total weight of 601,708 carat, averaging $408.98 p/c.

101,842 carats worth $203.5 million were imported from Belgium, an average of $1,997.79 p/c.

Imports from Switzerland averaged $21,135.37 p/c. The U.S. imported 2,133 carats with a declared value of $45 million.