A GEMSTONE exhibition that was earlier planned to be held in Arusha next month has been postponed to next year, the organizers said on Tuesday.

Tanzania Mineral Dealers Association (TAMIDA) Chairman Sammy Mollel said that the event collided with the International Coloured Gemstone Association (ICA) congress slated for Brazil.

"After consultations with stakeholders including buyers and exhibitors, we have agreed that the event pushed back to May, next year," he said.

He said that it would be impossible for exhibitors and buyers to attend the two events at the same time. The 2011 ICA Congress will address ethical mining and fair trade and the growing importance in the gem and jewellery industry.

It will also feature a mini-trade show and will be followed by an ICA mine tour. The exhibition was scheduled to be held at Mount Meru Hotel. Previously, the fair was held at the same venue for nine consecutive years before it was suspended in 1998, due to gemstones license abuses.

The abuse saw traders exporting uncut stones, leading to buyers to see no logic of coming to the country to buy the raw gems. The organizers say that the exhibition was to feature displays of different types of gemstones.

Mr Mollel said buyers from Bangladesh, Malaysia has already confirmed coming for the show.

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals estimates that the previous gemstone exhibitions used to

generate up to 600,000 US dollars (about 900m/-) annually.