Diamond industry grapples with major slump in demand

India's diamond cutting and polishing trade is facing an unprecedented crisis amid falling demand, prompting trade bodies to ask members to halt the imports of rough stones for two months

- Ram Sahgal , Ravi Dutta Mishra

This is the "worst-ever demand crisis," said Anoop Vrajlal Mehta, president of Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), India's hub of diamond trading with the rest of the world. This is just the fifth time since the 1970s that trade associations have made such an appeal to members to halt imports.

The country cuts and polishes nine out of 10 of the world's rough diamonds, providing employment to two million Indians. So far this financial year, exports are down 30.27% from a year ago to $7.03 billion, the worst fall in at least five years.

Demand has collapsed in China, which is battling an economic slowdown after a property bubble burst. In the US, another key market, consumers are shunning luxury goods amid high inflation fuelled by an easy monetary policy during the pandemic. China accounts for 13% of polished diamond exports from India and the US 45-48%.