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RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished diamond exports fell 6.6 percent year on year to $1.234 billion in March, according to data collected by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. By volume, polished exports were flat at 535,294 carats. Polished diamond imports jumped 24.3 percent to $1.814 billion, leaving net exports with a deficit of $580.2 million compared with a deficit of $138.9 million in March 2014. Rough diamond imports rose 4.5 percent to $1.401 billion and rough exports fell 4.9 percent to $1.303 billion, leaving net imports of $97.7 million compared with a deficit of $30.2 million one year earlier. Belgium carried a net diamond account deficit of $677.9 million during the month compared with a deficit of $108.7 million one year ago. During the first quarter of 2015, polished diamond exports fell 2.9 percent to $3.808 billion, while polished diamond imports rose 7.5 percent to $3.927 billion, leaving net exports with a deficit of $119 million compared with a surplus of $266.5 million in the first quarter of 2014. Rough imports fell 19 percent to $3.28 billion, while rough exports contracted 20.5 percent to $3.209 billion, leaving net imports of $70.9 million compared with $13.3 million. The net diamond account for the first three months of the year, slipped into a deficit of $189.9 million compared with a surplus of $253.2 million in 2014.
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