African diamond exporter, Sierra Leone says it shipped out diamonds worth $102 million in the first half (H1) of the year, a 43 percent rise as compared to the $71 million gained from exports during the same period last year.

According to the country’s National Mineral Agency (NMA), the increase – which provided the government with a tax windfall in excess of $5 million – was largely influenced by the improved level of productivity from its major diamond miner, Koidu Holdings and further highlights the growing advancement in channeling diamonds through the government.

"At the end of the first half of 2013, exports exceeded those of 2012 by 42.95 percent, an improvement of $30.71 million,” Ibrahim Mohmed, who oversees the diamond sector at the NMA, told Reuters. "The total diamonds exported amounted to 331,471 carats valued at $102 million,” he added.

Koidu Holdings, the only commercial pit miner in the country is owned by Israeli diamond trader, Beny Steinmetz’s company, BSG Resources, through its Octea diamond unit.

Business Day noted it accounted for 62 percent of total exports with 205,847 carats worth of diamonds shipped during the six month period. The remaining 125,637 carats was accounted for by other artisanal production.

The country’s mineral exports have witnessed an upsurge after the United Nations (UN) lifted a worldwide ban on its diamonds as a result of violent trading and exploitation during the civil war.