India's gems and jewellery exports shot up by 31 per cent in October, 2010, to Rs 12,979.19 crore ($2.92 billion) from Rs 9,907.61 crore ($2.12 billion) in the corresponding period of the previous year, as per data provided by an industry body.
According to the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), exports of cut and polished diamonds stood at Rs 9,170.72 crore ($2.06 billion) in October, up 31 per cent compared to Rs 7,013.86 crore in the same month of the previous year.
Overall shipments of gems and jewellery in the April-October period grew by 34.48 per cent to Rs 98,088.53 crore from Rs 72,937.90 crore in the same period last year, the GJEPC said.
Exports of cut and polished diamonds jumped by 50 per cent to Rs 67,982.37 crore in April-October, 2010, from Rs 45,363.48 crore in the same period of the previous year.
In addition, gold jewellery exports went up by 6 per cent to Rs 25,447.74 crore during the first 10 months of 2010 from Rs 24,003.63 crore in the corresponding period of 2009.
However, exports of coloured gemstones declined by 9 per cent to Rs 725.88 crore during April-October, 2010, from Rs 796.23 crore in the same period of the previous year.
Meanwhile, overall imports of gems and jewellery grew by 27 per cent to Rs 10,217.13 crore in October from Rs 8,045.32 crore in the same month of the previous year.
Imports of cut and polished diamonds went up by 61 per cent in the April-October, 2010, period to Rs 44,076.97 crore from Rs 27,388.59 crore in the same period last year.