WIth general agreement that the worst of the global financial crisis is behind the diamond industry and a recovery underway, more encouraging data shows that business at the Antwerp diamond centre continues to grow strongly.

 
Imports and exports of both polished and rough diamonds showed sharp rises in January, according to data published by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre Diamond Office. Since Antwerp serves as a distribution channel for sales of goods across the world, the figures indicate rising global demand for diamonds.
 
Belgian rough diamond exports last month soared by 124.9 percent from January 2009 to 10.4 million carats worth $817.0 million, a jump of 168.4 percent.
 
In the rough diamond imports category, Belgium brought 11.0 million carats of rough goods in January with a value of $764.4 million, rises of 26.9 percent and 66.0 percent, respectively on January 2009.
 
Meanwhile, polished exports in January totalled 521,996 carats with a value of $647.8 million, increases of 10.8 percent and 16.1 percent, respectively.
 
In polished diamond imports, Belgium bought 646,521 carats in January, a rise of 4.9 percent from January 2009, with the diamonds' value being $736.6 million, a rise of 12.2 percent on January last year.
 
Regarding exports markets, the United States posted a 34.7 percent rise in polished diamonds from Antwerp last month to 66,185 carats. In financial terms, the United States imported 33.4 percent more diamonds at $196.6 million.
 
Overall, however, the U. S. accounted for just 12.7 percent of Belgium's polished diamonds in carat terms. Hong Kong was the second-largest importer of Belgian polished stones last month, taking in 19.9 percent in carats.
 
Israel was the third-largest importer of Belgian gems, 7.9 percent in volume. Israel was followed by the UAE, India, Switzerland, the U.K., China, Italy and France.