The country is expected to export around 100 million tonnes of iron ore in the current fiscal.
Mr Sanjeev Batra CMD of MMTC said that "India''s iron ore exports in 2010-11 are expected to be about 100 million tonnes.”
Mr R K Sharma secretary general of Federations of Indian Mineral Industries said that the country exported about 105.67 million tonnes of iron ore in 2008-09 and it is expected in the similar range in the last fiscal.
However, Mr Sharma added that the recent increase in export duty on iron ore lumps to 15% from previous 10% may reduce its outward shipments by 50%. The country exported around five million tonnes of iron ore during 2008-09. Official iron ore export figures are not declared yet.
The government levies 5% export duty on iron ore fines which comprise the bulk of iron ore outward shipments.
The country produced about 230 million tonnes of iron ore in the last fiscal. India exports majority of its iron ore fines to China.