The Russian Federation headed the Kimberley Process (KP) production figures in volume terms for the second year running in 2010, according to rough diamond production statistics published by the organization.
Russia produced 34.9 million carats valued at $2.38 billion, and in dollar terms was in second place behind Botswana with $2.59 billion raised from the sale of 22 million carats of rough.
Overall, production last year jumped 39 percent on 2010 in value terms to close to $12 billion. The figure for 2010 is not far off the $12.73 billion of goods produced in the peak year of 2008.
Production of rough diamonds climbed around 7 percent to 133.1 million carats last year, the KP reported, with the average price per carat rising 30 percent to $90.13.
Russia and Botswana were followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with 20.2 million carats, South Africa (13.7 million carats), Canada (11.8 million carats), Zimbabwe (8.44 million carats) and Angola (8.36 million carats). Although the DRC was third on the list, most of its production is of industrial-quality diamonds.
Canada was fifth in terms of production, but the quality of its stones put it in third place in terms of value, with its production generating exports of $2.3 billion.
Canada was followed by South Africa ($1.8 billion), Angola ($976.3 million), Namibia ($744 million), Zimbabwe ($339.8 million) and Australia ($251.7 million).
Overall rough exports by all KP members soared 51 percent to $37.6 billion with rough imports jumping by the same level to $37.8 billion.
The European Union (EU) was the top exporter of rough diamonds with goods worth $14.3 billion, followed by Israel ($3.74 billion), the United Arab Emirates ($3.54 billion), Botswana ($2.88 billion), Russia ($2.78 billion) and Canada ($2.41 billion).
The EU was also the world's largest importer of rough diamonds last year ($13.6 billion) followed by India ($11.2 billion), Israel ($4.43 billion), the United Arab Emirates ($2.06 billion) and China ($2.02 billion).
In terms of price per carat, the leading country was Lesotho in southern Africa at $1,816.63.