The exports of gold jewellery have registered a nine per cent jump to $577.29 million from $529.04 million during the first three quarters of the current fiscal compared with the same period last year.
According to the figures released by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), despite the overall nine per cent increase in the first nine months, the exports, particularly in December, declined by 26 per cent to $47.35 million (provisional) from $64.15 million during the same month in 1996.
The downward trend during the month was attributed to the political instability in the country.
According to GJEPC, cut and polished diamond exports moved up to $3,049 million from $2,988.29 million.
The trend was maintained in December too, when diamond exports touched the mark of $253.64 million against $224.39 million during the same period last year.
Exports of colour gem stones moved down to $79.93 million from $98.73 million during the nine-month period.
However, the December exports reversed the trend, and moved up to $9.65 million from $7.59 million.
Pearls did well, and continued to recover by moving up slightly to $2.75 million from $2.71 million, and maintained the trend in December also with exports of $0.66 million compared with $0.22 million.
Non-gold jewellery, however, suffered a setback to $22.82 million as against $23.18 million. The exports in December also showed a downward trend when it slipped to $1.4 million from $2.05 million in the corresponding period last year.
To boost the export of Indian gems and jewellery, and to carve a special niche in the international markets, the promotion council is organising a five-day India International Jewellery Show -
IIJS '98-, the first of its kind in the city from March 18.
Gem and jewellery exports comprise the second largest source of foreign exchange for the country. The world demand for jewellery is pegged at around $75 billion.
