Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) CEO Shihaleni Ndjaba told local press that reduction in land-based production has become worrying, as NDTC Sightholders have been complaining for the past few months about the poor composition of stones in terms of size.

The comments were made to Namibian newspaper New Era on Wednesday, with the report citing fears that any “failure by NDTC to supply the desired size of diamonds to Sightholders might eventually lead to a forced reduction in cutting and polishing, and subsequently in the number of workers.”

Ndjaba also commented that sometimes NDTC receives ‘lesser’ products than planned. “We can no longer guarantee big stones because mines are giving more of small stones,” he was quoted as saying.

Namdeb Managing Director Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi added that Namibia’s primary onshore deposits are depleted. “We need to move over 100 tons for every little carat diamond. With increased cost of fuel and electricity mining is a very capital intensive business,” she said.

As of June this year, NDTC had sold N$1.2 billion (US$162.7 million) worth of diamonds to the Namibian industry, Ndjaba said, adding that the industry has employed 1,166 people, a number up 38 percent in employment from October last year.