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RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished diamond exports increase 2.7 percent year on year to $1.367 billion in September, while the volume of goods fell 8.5 percent to 565,285 carats, according to data provided by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. Polished imports surged 17 percent to $1.379 billion and its volume rose 7.3 percent to 657,098 carats. Net polished exports slipped into a deficit of $12.24 million during the month compared with a surplus of $152.27 million one year ago. Rough imports fell 2.5 percent to $1.049 billion, while rough exports rose 4.3 percent to $1.197 billion, leaving net imports in a deficit of $148.81 million compared with a deficit of $73.71 million in September 2012. Belgium's net diamond account in September, reflecting the difference between net polished exports and net rough imports fell nearly 40 percent year on year to $136.57 million. For the first nine months of 2013, Belgium's polished exports rose 3.5 percent to $10.355 billion, polished imports have increased 1.7 percent to $10.193 billion and net exports were dramatically improved to $162.52 million, compared with a deficit of $22.23 million one year ago. Rough imports have jumped 9.6 percent to $9.927 billion, exports have increased 9.9 percent to $10.811 billion and the net import deficit rose to $883.8 million from $777.13 million in 2012. Nonetheless, the net diamond account improved to $1.046 billion compared with $754.9 million one year ago.
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