2004

Diamond Exports From Israel Up 24% For First Half of 2004

Sep. 2004

Israel's diamond industry reported substantial growth in June and in the first half of 2004, according to the Israel Ministry of Industry & Trade's Diamond Controller. Net exports of polished diamonds from Israel rose 47.3% to reach $481.4 million, compared to $326.9 million in June 2003. During the first half of the year net polished exports grew 23.9%, reaching $3.290 billion, compared to $2.656 billion in the same period in 2003.

Imports of rough diamonds also rose, 14.8% in June to $418.4 million. Since the beginning of 2004, rough diamond imports rose 40.3% to reach $2.446 billion, compared to $1.743 billion for the same period in 2003. Rough diamond exports from Israel rose 35.8% in June to reach $286.8 million. For the first six months rough diamond exports increased 45.6% to $1.534 billion, up from $1.053 million for the same period in 2003.

Israel's imports of polished diamonds rose 11.7% in June 2004 to reach $294.0 million. Since the beginning of the year they rose 6.0% to reach $1.590 billion.