MOSCOW, June 23. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s uncut diamond exports increased 21.5% on the year to 12.01 million carats in January-March, the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

In monetary terms, diamond exports rose 20.6% to $1.41 billion.

Exports to Belgium amounted to 7.87 million carats and were worth $923 million. Exports to India, United Arab Emirates, Israel and China amounted to 2.45 million carats, 948,000 carats, 322,000 carats and 154,000 carats respectively.

Uncut diamond imports slumped 61.5% to 8,040 carats. China supplied 3,200 carats worth $9.6 million, the UK supplied 2,300 carats valued at $52,000 and Belgium supplied 1,400 carats worth $5 million.

Russian diamond mining giant ALROSA mined 7.9 million carats of diamonds in the reporting period, up 6% year on year.