(IDEX Online) - Antwerp's polished import and export figures for April are well up on a year ago - during the depths of the pandemic - but are still significantly lower than the same month in pre-pandemic 2019.The value of rough exports soared by almost 25 times in April, compared with a year ago, when Covid brought the diamond industry to a near-standstill.Polished exports increased more than three times, according to newly-released figures from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).Year-on-year comparisons with 2019 are more useful, given the devastating impact of the pandemic.Rough exports in April 2021 were $829m. In April 2019 they were $914m.Rough imports in April 2021 were $933m. In April 2019 they were $827m.Polished exports in April 2021 were $556m. In April 2019 they were $823m.Polished imports in April 2021 were $569m. In April 2019 they were $872m.