Israel Intensifies Rough Trade; June Exports Up 30%
July 01, 08Israel exported a net of $442 million worth of rough diamonds in June, a 29.8 percent rise over June 2007, when exports totaled $341 million. The sharp rise reflects soaring rough diamond prices as well as increased trade.
Imports of rough were up 19.9 percent to $585 million from $488 million the year before, according to figures release by the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor.
In the first half of the year Israel’s exports of rough diamonds increased by 15.1 percent.