The Israeli Diamond Industry’s export and import of polished
and rough diamonds jumped by an average of 104
percent over the first half of 2009, according to half-yearly figures published
by the Israel Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor’s diamond controller Shmuel
Mordechai.
Net polished diamond exports totaled
$3.002 billion from January to June 2010, compared to $1.566 billion in the
same period of 2009, a rise of 91.7 percent. Net rough diamond exports stood at
$1.624 billion, compared to $796 million for the first half of 2006, an
increase of 104.1 percent.
Net rough diamond imports totaled
$1.817 billion in the first half of 2010, up 113.3 percent from the
corresponding period in 2009, when they stood at $852 million. Net polished
diamond imports were $1.882 billion, an increase of 105.2 percent over the same
period last year when they totaled $916 million.
The United States was Israel’s
primary polished diamond market with 52 percent of exports. Hong Kong was
second with 25 percent, followed by Belgium with 7 percent, Switzerland with 5
percent and India 2 percent. Net polished exports to the U.S. stood at $1.211
billion, to Hong Kong at $820 million, to Belgium at $260 million and to India
at $113 million. Net polished exports to China rose to $93 million compared to
$33 million in 2009.
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