Reading Time: 2 minutes Cairo | Reuters — Egypt has reversed its controversial zero-tolerance policy on the common grains fungus ergot, the government said on Wednesday, backtracking on an import regulation that had all but blocked its access to global wheat. Egypt, the world’s largest buyer of wheat, has seen its imports grind to a halt since it imposed […] Read more
Egypt cancels zero-ergot wheat policy amid mounting pressure
Russia may ban Egyptian citrus amid wheat dispute
Reading Time: 2 minutes Moscow/Cairo | Reuters — Russia threatened to ban Egyptian citrus imports on Tuesday, a move that could escalate a trade dispute over exports of Russian wheat to the world’s largest importer of the grain. Moscow said this week it hopes to hold talks with Egypt, its top buyer, over Cairo’s failure to approve Russian wheat […] Read more
Health ministry decision makes zero ergot Egypt’s new normal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Abu Dhabi/Cairo | Reuters — Egypt’s health ministry banned wheat with any ergot fungus on Monday, a decision traders said signals the zero tolerance policy that wreaked havoc on the country’s grain purchases earlier this year is back to stay. The decree, seen by Reuters, brings the ministry in line with an agriculture ministry decree […] Read more
Egypt’s GASC cancels wheat tender as ergot policy bites
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s ability to buy wheat from abroad while demanding zero ergot fungus in shipments was dealt a serious blow on Wednesday, with state grain buyer GASC cancelling its tender after receiving just one offer. It was the country’s first tender to purchase wheat since it reinstated its zero-tolerance ergot policy […] Read more
Egypt bans ergot in wheat, again
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt reinstated on Sunday a controversial ban on wheat shipments containing even the slightest amount of a common grain fungus, baffling traders who had returned to the Egyptian market just last month when the ban was lifted. The world’s largest wheat importer said on Sunday it was re-introducing its zero […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat slumps to new 10-year low on ample supplies
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell for a sixth consecutive session to hit a new 10-year low on Monday, as ample global stocks and a regulatory clamp-down from the world’s largest buyer of the grain dragged on prices. Corn set a seven-year low and soybeans also declined, pressured by prospects for large U.S. […] Read more
Egypt tightens import quarantine rules on grains
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cairo | Reuters — Egypt has tightened its agriculture quarantine regulations, imposing a rule that will prevent grain shipments suspected of contamination from being offloaded until they receive test results, according to a letter sent to traders Monday. The rule comes just one month after the world’s biggest wheat buyer discontinued its controversial zero tolerance […] Read more
Be on the lookout for ergot
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council has posted a blog warning producers to be on the lookout for ergot this year. “Over the past few weeks, Mother Nature has provided us with the rain and cool conditions which have created the environment for ergot infections to occur. These cool, wet conditions have also increased flowering periods in […] Read more
Egypt to follow global standard for ergot starting Tuesday
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cairo | Reuters — Egypt will allow up to 0.05 per cent ergot, a common grains fungus, in wheat shipments beginning on Tuesday, confirming the end of a months-long standoff just before the country re-enters the international wheat market. Reuters exclusively reported on July 4 that a ministerial decree would allow the world’s top wheat […] Read more
‘Unorthodox’ agriculture policies seen costing Egypt
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– Egypt, the world’s top wheat importer, faces US$860 million in extra costs and lost export opportunities this year because of “unorthodox agricultural measures,” including a zero-tolerance policy on ergot fungus in wheat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday in a report. The report, from a USDA attache in Cairo, criticized […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
