Botswana’s Rough Diamond Exports Keep Sagging

(IDEX Online News) – Botswana’s rough diamond exports keep shrinking, a decline that has been affecting the country’s exports since the fourth quarter of 2011, according to figures published by the Bank of Botswana.

Rough diamond exports in March totaled $182.5 million, declining 7.7 percent compared to March 2012 and falling 15.6 percent compared to last February.

Botswana is the world’s leading diamond producer by value and De Beers’ main source of diamonds. If the global supply of rough diamonds continues to decline, it may lead to rough diamond price increases in the near term.