Miners’ association urges cancellation of December increase in export duty; says development hitting long-term interests

Export shipments of iron ore declined 60 per cent in February on high duty levied by the government to discourage supply to steel mills abroad. Data compiled by the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (Fimi) showed the overall export fell to 4.22 million tonnes in February, compared to 10.58 mt in the corresponding period last year. The overall export in the first 11 months of 2011-12 recorded a decline of 36 per cent to 55.8 mt as compared to 87.3 mt in the same period last year.