Polished diamond exports in September - up 24%

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor reported last week that in September 2005 polished diamond exports totaled $704 million, 24% more than the $567 million exported in September 2004.
 
In January-September 2005, net polished diamond exports totaled $5.2 billion, 7% more than the $4.88 billion exported in the corresponding period of last year.
 
Net polished diamond imports in September totaled $354 million, 18% more than the $299 million imported in September 2004.
 
Shmuel Mordechai Controller of diamonds at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor said last week that the growth in polished diamond exports continued in September. He added that export figures for January-September were highly encouraging, indicating stability and growth not only in global markets, but also in traditional markets.
 
Mordechai noted that the growth in exports of net polished diamond to Israel’s main five markets in the nine months January-September 2005, compared with the corresponding period of last year were as follows: Switzerland up 96%; China up 10%; Hong Kong up 22%; Belgium up 7%; US down 1%.