January 2006: net polished diamond exports from Israel declined 6.5%

Ministry of Industry and Trade's diamond commissioner, Shmuel Mordechai announced last week that in January 2006 net polished diamond exports from Israel declined 6.5% and reach $614.3 million, compared to January 2005 in which net polished diamond exports reached $657.1 million.
 
Mordechai added that compared with January 2005, diamond exports to the U.S. increased by 3%, to Belgium by 11%, to Switzerland by 3% and 17% to England. Exports to Hong Kong declined by 70% year compared to January last year.
 
According to Mordechai the U.S. market remained the main export market, consuming 65% of Israel's diamonds. Next was Belgium with 9%, Hong Kong - 7%, and Switzerland - 4%.
Net imports of rough diamonds in January 2006 totaled $349.6 million, compared to $432.8 million in January 2005, a drop of 19.2%.
 
Rough diamond exports from Israel dropped 18.47% in January 2006 to $273.8 million, compared to $335.5 million in January 2005. Israel's imports of polished diamonds was up 10.1% in January 2006 to $256.2 million, compared to $232.8 million in January 2005.