Israel’s net polished diamond exports declined 6.9 % since the beginning of 2006, to $1.229 billion, compared to $1.320 billion in the same period of 2005, according to statistics released by the Israel Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labors Diamond Controller, Shmuel Mordechai.%%In February 2006, net polished diamond exports decreased by 7.8% to reach $611.4 million, compared to $663.2 million during February 2005. Net imports of rough diamonds increased 9% to total $432.7 million in February 2006, as compared to $396.9 million in February 2005. From the beginning of the year net rough imports declined by 5.7%, reaching $782.3 million compared to $829.7 million in the same period of 2005.%%Net rough diamond exports from Israel stood at $234.1 million in February 2006, a decline of 21.5% over February 2005, when they totaled $298.3 million. For January - February 2006 rough exports were $507.8 million, a decline of 19.9%n over the same period last year, when they were $633.8 million.