According to reports emanating out of Africa based on data from Statistics Botswana (SB), the country’s exports of diamonds rose by 16.4% in February to reach P6.35 billion from exports worth P5.45 billion registered in February of the previous year.

Compared to   P5.92 billion worth of diamonds exported in January 2017, diamond exports in February increased by 7.2% or by P424.2.

Imports of diamonds in February amounted to P902.3 million, which was a 62.9% decline in value terms compared to P2.43 billion worth of diamonds imported in the same period of the previous year – though it marked a rise of 16.9% increase over January of this year when imports of diamonds amounted to P771.8 million.

Botswana’s total exports for February 2017 reached P6.76 billion and were 5% higher – or up by P324.4 million – than total exports worth P6.44 billion achieved in the same month in 2016.  

Compared to January 2017, when total exports were valued at P6.37 billion, total exports in February rose by 6.1% or were up by P389.4 million.

Botswana’s trade surplus for February 2017 was P2.6 billion. Trade surplus for the previous month at P3.17 billion was higher.