In this issue of Stone World, we present our annual "Focus on Indian Stone." And while stone from India is not a new commodity in the U.S., it is certainly still a growing one. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that imports of Indian stone by consumers have grown significantly over the past five years.
Granite imports, which remain India's most popular stone product for the U.S. market, increased nearly 60% over the past five years. The value of Indian granite exported to the U.S. reached a total of over $41 million in 2000, as compared to $26.6 million in 1995. The total tonnage of granite imports also increased, with a total of 126,984 tons imported in 2000, as compared to 51,234 tons imported in 1995.