MOSCOW, June 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia exported 6.65 million carats of diamonds in the first quarter of 2008, earning a total of $414.8 million, Russia's Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

EU countries, the largest importers of Russian diamonds, bought 5.1 million carats at an estimated $305.2 million.

In January-March this year, Russia imported over 65,500 carats for $10.1 million, with over 60,000 from EU member-states.

Russia's largest diamond producer Alrosa [RTS: ALRS] sold diamonds worth $154 million last year. Alrosa, which accounts for 97% of Russian and 25% of global diamond output, produced diamonds worth $2.37 billion in 2007.