India’s total cut and polished diamond (CPD) exports for July 2006 fell 17 percent to $858.2 million from July 2005, according to provisional data released by India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJPEC.)

In terms of volume, India’s total CPD exports fell 26 percent to 3 million carats.

Rough diamond exports fell 3 percent to $34.8 million in value and increased 28 percent to 3.9 million carats. 

Imports of cut and polished in July dropped 62 percent to $131.5 million, while rough diamond imports fell 18 percent to $754.3 million. In quantity terms, total rough diamond imports declined 14 percent to 14.5 million carats.

For the seven month period ending July 31, polished diamond exports fell 14 percent in value to $6.4 billion and climbed 5 percent in volume to 30.7 million carats.

India ’s rough diamond imports fell 16 percent in value to $4.6 billion, and declined 20 percent in volume to 92.2 million carats during the first seven months of 2006.