Exports of cut and polished diamonds from India showed an upward trend in the month of August 2016, rising by 10.77%, year-on-year. The country exported US$ 1.94 billion worth of goods as compared to the US$ 1.76 bn in the same month a year ago, according to the provisional data released by The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Gold jewellery exports (studded and plain) for August 2016 rose by 7.43% to US$ 605.30 mn as against US$ 563.43 mn a year earlier.

Overall exports from the gem and jewellery sector during August 2016 stood at US$ 3.56 billion, a growth of 9.40% over the US$ 3.25 billion exported in the same month the previous year.

Rough imports during the month at US$ 1.05 billion were up 72.32% in value terms from US$ 609.8 million the previous August. In volume terms, 8.53 mn carats of rough were imported during the month, a growth of 35% compared with the imports of 6.32 mn carats during August ‘15.

Imports of cut and polished diamonds rose by 9.43% to US$ 264.01 million in August 2016 from US$ 241.26 million a year earlier.

Exports of silver jewellery jumped to US$ 363.26 million in August 2016 as compared to US$ 229.12 million last year.

Coloured gemstone exports slipped in August 2016 to US$ 36.89 million as compared to US$ 40.21 million exported a year earlier.

Overall exports from the gem and jewellery sector in India during the first five months of fiscal 2017 stood at US$ 17.21 billion, a rise of 9.30 % as compared to the US$ 15.75 billion exported in the same period last year.

During the fiscal year to date, exports of cut and polished diamonds were up by 6.36% to US$ 9.20 bn, while import of rough rose to US$ 7.05 bn, an increase of 19.37%. In volume terms, imports rose by 14.68% from 50.85 mn cts in April-August 2015 to 58.31 mn cts in April-August 2016. 

Gold jewellery (studded and plain) exports rose by 15.12% to US$ 3.54 billion in the first five months of FY 2017, while that of medallions & coins declined 12.36% to US$ 1.93 billion in the same period.

Silver jewellery exports rose to US$ 1.67 billion and Coloured Gemstones exports dropped 7.60% to US$ 157.74 mn in April-August 2016.