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RAPAPORT...
Belgium exported $942.8 million worth of polished diamonds in April, representing a drop of 6.7 percent year on year, according to data provided by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. Polished imports fell 7.7 percent to $931 million, leaving net exports of $11.5 million compared with only $2 million in April 2011. Rough diamond imports surged 19.9 percent year on year to $1.028 billion while rough exports rose 5.9 percent to $1.195 billion. Belgium recorded a net rough diamond import deficit of $167.1 million compared with a deficit of $271.6 million one year ago. The net diamond account for Belgium, which removes imports from exports, fell 35 percent year on year to $178.6 million. Polished exports for the January through April time frame rose only 1.6 percent to $4.515 billion, while polished imports jumped 10.3 percent to $4.644 billion, creating a net polished diamond export deficit of $129 million. Rough imports increased 6.4 percent to $4.509 billion, while exports rose 3.3 percent to $4.804 billion, thereby leading to a rough diamond import deficit of $295 million. Belgium's net diamond account for the first four months of 2012 fell 74 percent year on year to $166 million.
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