Global Diamond Production +11% to $14B in 2013

Gaborone: Global diamond production by value rose 11 percent year on year to $14.09 billion in 2013, due mainly to an increase in the average price of rough diamonds, according to annual data published by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. By volume, global production increased 2 percent to 130.48 million carats, while the average price of production grew 9 percent to $107.95 per carat.

Botswana’s production rose 22 percent to $3.63 billion with the volume of its production up 13 percent to 23.19 million carats. The average price of Botswana’s rough rose 8 percent to $156.36 per carat.

Russia ranked as the second largest diamond producer by value but was by far the largest producer by volume. Russia’s production grew 8 percent to $3.11 billion, with the volume of output up 8 percent to 37.884 million carats. The average price of Russia’s production was flat at $82.21 per carat.

Canada’s diamond production fell 5 percent to $1.91 billion in 2013 but the country still ranked as the third largest producer. By volume, Canada’s production rose 1 percent to 10.56 million carats, while the average price of production declined 6 percent to $180.52 per carat.

Namibia’s production rose 15 percent to $1.36 billion from 1.689 million carats as the average price jumped 46 percent to $805.24 per carat. Angola rounded out the top five with production up 15 percent to $1.28 billion from 9.36 million carats and its average price rose 2 percent to $136.49 per carat.

Among the other significant producer countries, South Africa saw its production value increase 15 percent to $1.19 billion from 8.143 million carats recovered as the average price was flat at $145.54 per carat. Zimbabwe’s production declined 14 percent to $538.5 million as the volume of production fell 14 percent to 10.41 million carats and the average price dropped 3 percent to $51.72 per carat.

The total rough exports by all Kimberley Process member states increased 11 percent to $55.59 billion, while rough imports rose 6 percent to $53.76 billion.

The European Community was the world’s top exporter of rough diamond with 128.085 million carats, valued at $17.61 billion, leaving the region during the year, while it imported 131.313 million carats valued at $17.42 billion. The United Arab Emirates exported 67.94 million carats valued at $7.29 billion and imported 66.69 million carats valued at $5.02 billion.

Among the other major diamond manufacturing and trading centers, India imported 159.43 million carats valued at $15.98 billion and exported 48.89 million carats valued at $1.85 billion. Israel imported 17.45 million carats valued at $4.91 billion and exported 15.3 million carats valued at $3.84 billion.

Namibia had as the highest priced diamonds in the world overtaking Lesotho, where the average price of rough production fell 7 percent to $584.88 per carat.

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