The government is considering channelising exports of iron ore through state-run MMTC in a to enforce tighter regulation.
"The feasibility of nodal agency operation, as an interim measure, to cover exports of most grades of iron ore as an accounting procedure is under examination, to enforce legitimacy and tighter regulation of iron ore exports and compliance with mining regulations," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
He was replying to questions whether exports of ores, inlucing iron ore, is proposed to be channelised through MMTC.
Under the current foreign trade policy, export of iron ore with iron content 64% and above is under the state trading regime through MMTC.
He said the monitoring of mineral movement from mining to export, mandatory registration of and reporting by all stakeholders would help trace the ore, thereby ensuring that it is sourced through legal mining operations.
In January, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had moved a Cabinet note in this regard.
To ensure domestic availability of iron ore, he said the government has raised the ad-valorem export duty on iron ore lumps and fines to 30% and imposed differential railway freight on iron ore meant for export.
In an another reply, Scindia said the quantity of coffee exports in this fiscal (up to March 12) increased by 8% to 321,537 tonne from 297,808 tonne in 2010-11.