Still suffering from the impact of a slow holiday season and a tough economic situation, Belgium’s diamond trade had double digit declines across the board in January, reports Idex Online.

The center exported 471,049 carat of polished with a declared value of $558.43 million, according to data published the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.

Polished exports in January declined 34.1% in volume and 26% in value compared to January 2008. The average value of exports stood at $1,185.51 per carat.

Polished diamond imports in the first month of the year fell 25 percent to 616,616 carat and 13% to $656.45 million to an average of $1,064.59 p/c.

Net polished diamond trade is clearly inwards, forming an overhang of 145,567 carats with a value of $98 million.