September 28, 2009
Egypt's authorities hold 63,000 tonnes of Russian wheat
Egyptian health authorities were holding 63,000 tonnes of Russian wheat in the Egyptian coastal city of Port Said, Egypt's state agency MENA reported Friday (September 25).
The Egyptian agriculture quarantine officials at the port refused to release the cargo because of failure to present the required documentation, the agency reported. They refused to accept the documentation presented by the ship.
They also refused an appeal by the General Authority for Supply Commodities, the state-owned wheat buyer, to release the wheat cargo until the arrival of the necessary certificates, the agency reported.
Egypt is one of the world's largest wheat importers. Its imports have been at the centre of controversy since May, when Egyptian authorities quarantined 52,501 tonnes of Russian wheat imported by Egyptian Traders, an Egyptian trading company.
The shipment was quarantined after impurities were found in the wheat.
The Egyptian prosecutor is still investigating the wheat case, due to forgery issues related to the wheat shipment imported by the Egyptian traders.
