Belgium’s polished-diamond exports rose in May, according to data from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). 
Polished exports increased 5% year on year to $1.18 billion and, by volume, grew 4% to 439,380 carats. The average price climbed 1% to $2,688 per carat.

The jump was mainly due to a 6% rise in shipments to the US to $438.8 million and a 22% surge in exports to India to $58.6 million. Exports to Switzerland more than doubled in May, reaching $186.1 million. Those increases outweighed a 46% plunge in exports to the United Arab Emirates to $46.1 million and a 17% drop in shipments to Hong Kong to $130 million.

Polished imports fell 1% to $995.8 million, while net polished exports — the excess of exports over imports — surged 53% to $185.3 million.

Rough imports dropped 14% to $905.2 million, with rough exports falling 5% to $1.18 billion. Net rough imports stood at negative $278.9 million versus negative $188 million a year ago.

The country’s net diamond account — the sum of rough and polished exports minus total imports — rose 50% to $464.2 million.

In the first five months of the year, polished exports rose 1% to $5.09 billion, while rough imports climbed 8% to $5.02 billion.