Following a strong start to the new year in January, Antwerp’s imports and exports of both rough and polished diamonds rose again in February, according to figures published by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre Diamond Office.

Belgian polished diamond exports last month soared 32.9 percent in volume terms from February last year to 774,545 carats, while rising 50.5 percent to $1.32 billion.

For the first two months of 2011, polished diamond exports surged 24.3 percent in volume terms on the same period last year to 1.37 million carats, while rising 40.1 percent to $2.13 billion.

In rough diamonds, Belgium exported 10.3 million carats in February, a decline of 4.9 percent, but in financial terms there was a jump of 25.7 percent to $1.14 billion.

In the January-February period, Belgium exported 21.6 million carats of rough diamonds, a rise of 1.8 percent, but in financial terms there was a jump of 26.3 percent to $2.17 billion.

In polished diamond imports, Belgium bought 627,553 carats in February, a rise of 9.5 percent from February 2010, with a 33.6 percent increase in financial terms to $885.4 million.

For the first two months of 2011, Belgium imported 1.47 million carats of polished diamonds, a rise of 20.6 percent on the year, with a 33.3 percent increase in financial terms to $1.87 billion.

As for imports of rough diamonds, Belgium bought 9.72 million carats worth $1.05 billion in February, a decline of 7.4 percent in volume terms, but an increase of 34.8 percent, in financial terms from February 2010.

In the January-February period, Belgium imported 20.3 million carats of rough diamonds, a decrease of 5.5 percent, but in financial terms there was a jump of 36.2 percent to $2.10 billion.