Botswana's 2012 diamond exports down 29%, reports central bank

Botswana's diamond exports plummeted 28.7 percent on the year to $3.1 billion last year from $4.15 billion in 2011, the Bank of Botswana reported.

The country's rough diamond exports in the final month of 2012 plunged 26.5 percent on the November figure to $266.1 million.

But the December export figures were up 34.6 percent on the same month of 2011.

Botswana's national diamond miner, Debswana, owned jointly by the government and De Beers, cut back output in 2012 due to lackluster global demand for diamond jewelry.

Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo said the lower demand was due to "global uncertainties."