The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute reported last week that according to a periodic analysis diamond exports rose 73% in January-February 2013 to US$2.3 billion.
Polished diamond exports rose 138% in January-February to US$1.7 billion, and rough diamond exports rose 1% to US$600 million.
The jump in diamond exports stands out compared with the low exports in the final months of 2012.
Exports of goods, excluding diamonds, rose by 4.2% in January-February to US$7.1 billion. Industrial exports rose by 5% in January-February, compared with the corresponding period of 2012, to US$6.8 billion.
Most of the growth in the export of goods in January-February was due to a 43% growth in pharmaceuticals exports, compared with November-December 2012. Pharmaceuticals exports totaled US$1.1 billion in January-February.
The Export Institute also reported that agricultural exports fell almost 20% in January-February to US$335 million.
Chemicals exports fell, by 6%, to US$1.3 billion. Exports of machinery and equipment fell by 5%, exports of metals fell by 3%, and exports of textiles fell by 4%.
By contrast exports by the rubber and plastics industry, the food and beverages industry, the electrical equipment industry, and minerals, all rose.
