Gokhran could buy diamonds from Alrosa - Siluanov

ST. PETERSBURG. April 27 (Interfax) - Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has not ruled out the possibility that the State Precious Metals and Gemstones Repository (Gokhran) could purchase rough diamonds produced this year by Alrosa .

"We don't exclude the possibility of Gokhran purchases of the diamonds that Alrosa is producing this year. Values will be determined later," Siluanov told journalists.

The Finance Ministry considered the option of purchasing Alrosa products as an anti-crisis measure during the pandemic, when rough diamond sales ceased worldwide due to transport restrictions. Demand for jewelry recovered in the second half of 2020, and Alrosa turned down the deal with Gokhran. Alrosa said that such purchases could occur at prices substantially lower than market prices due to legal conditions.