Debswana, a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Botswana, has recorded 41% jump in rough diamond sales in the first half of 2021 due to the reopening of key markets the United States and China, according to media reports.
Reuters reports citing data from the Bank of Botswana that Debswana shipped diamonds worth $1.702 billion in the first half of the year compared to $1.209 billion, a year earlier.
Debswana sells 75% of its rough diamonds to De Beers, while the balance goes to the state-owned Okavango Diamond Company.
The company's rough sales dropped 30% last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Botswana gets about 30% of its revenues and 70% of its foreign exchange earnings from diamonds.
Debswana’s production jumped by 214% to 5.7 million carats in the second quarter of 2021, according to Anglo American.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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