Diamond trade increased by 22 percent for Dubai in the year 2009, with 182 million carats of rough and polished moving through the city, reports say. Polished diamond trade rose 150 percent to 32 million carats, and rough diamond trade increased 3 percent to 97 million carats, repots add. %% In terms of value, imports of polished diamonds increased 5 percent to $6.9 billion and exports rose 30 percent to $7 billion reports say. Rough diamond trade in terms of value, dipped 13 percent to $18 billion, attributed to lower global diamond prices, reports say. %% Also, majority of the diamond trade was spearheaded by India, Belgium and Hong Kong, with a share from new markets including Angola, Switzerland and the U.S., reports add. %% Reports say that as per the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the figures hint at the growing importance of the Middle East as a consuming diamond market and Dubai’s position as the trade hub.