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(Rapaport...March 7, 2006) Belgium's polished diamond exports in February remained flat at $800.9 million, according to figures released by HRD diamond office on March 7.
Belgium's polished diamond imports increased 12.4 percent to $683.7 million.
In terms of quantity, Belgium exported 781,688 carats, a decline of 2.3 percent. Belgium imported 739,552 carats, a decline of 3.7 percent.
Year-to-date Belgium’s polished exports rose 7 percent to $1.5 billion in value and declined 4.4 percent to 1.4 million carats in volume. For the two month period, Belgium’s polished imports increased 16.4 percent to $1.4 billion in value and decreased 2.6 percent to 1.5 million carats in volume.
In February, the United States, Hong Kong, and Israel remained Belgium's top export markets for polished diamonds contributing 58.6 percent of Belgium's total polished diamond exports. Polished diamonds to the states increased 12.9 percent to $230.6 million in February. Polished exports to Hong Kong dropped 25 percent to $126.9 million and Israel decreased 4 percent to $101.7 million. Belgium's exports to the United Arab Emirates leaped 69 percent to $46.3 million.
Year-to-date Belgium’s exports to the United States increased 6.2 percent to $432.9 million. Polished diamonds to Hong Kong decreased 2.4 percent to $225.5 million. For the two month period, polished exports to Israel increased 14.4 percent to $197.1 million.
The higher value of exports combined with a decrease in quantity resulted in a 3 percent increase in the price per carat of Belgium's polished diamond exports to $1,024 per carat. Belgium's polished imports increased 17 percent to $924.5 per carat.
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