Rough diamond exports from Antwerp rose by 2.15% in value terms during March 2017, while polished diamond exports rose by a marginal 0.44% during the month as compared to a year earlier, according to figures released by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).

During the month of March, Antwerp exported nearly 10.75 million carats of rough at a value of US$ 1.14 billion, a year-on-year increase of 7.09% in terms of volume and 2.15% in value terms. The centre also reported a stronger y-o-y rise in rough imports – with 9.41 mn carats of rough being imported at US$ 1.05 billion, an increase of 15.85% in volume terms, and of 6.38% in value terms.

Trade in polished was more sluggish. In March 2017, the centre exported 485,409 cts of polished at a value of US$ 1.16 bn, a fall of 0.86% in volume terms, but a slight increase of 0.44% in value terms year-on-year. During this period, the centre imported 714,409 cts of polished at a value of US$ 1.48 bn, with volumes rising by 16.21%, but value declining by 6.0% as compared to March 2016.

Over the first two months of the year, rough exports of 33.2 mn cts at US$ 2.26 bn showed an increase of 6.70% in volume and 2.33% in value, while rough imports of 26.69 mn cts at US$ 2.92 bn registered a y-o-y rise of 4.54% in volume terms but a fall of 4.37% in value terms.

During the year to date, polished exports stood at 13.07 mn cts at US$ 3.15 bn, down 13.07% in volume and 10.67% in value, while polished imports of 15.81 mn cts  at US$ 3.10 bn, dropped 5.70% in volume and 9.89% in value terms y-o-y.