Egypt rejects Indian wheat shipment originally intended for Turkey

Egypt has rejected the entry of a ship carrying 55_000 tonnes of Indian wheat because it did not meet quarantine requirements that was originally intended for Turkey_ Egyptian plant quarantine chief Ahmed El Attar said on Saturday.]

"We rejected the ship before it entered Egypt_" he revealed_ adding that the arrival of the vessel had already been blocked by Turkish quarantine authorities.

Separately_ Egypt was expecting the arrival of its first ever Indian wheat shipment later on Saturday_ which was purchased by the Egyptian private sector.

Egyptian Supply Minister Aly Moselhy said in May that a deal had been agreed to purchase 500_000 tonnes of wheat from India outside the usual tender system.

Amid reports of Turkey rejecting an Indian wheat shipment on quality concerns_ India's Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said the government has asked for details from the Turkish authorities on the matter. Pandey told_ it was ITC ltd and it met all the requirement of the quality. He claimed that the shipment of 60_000 tonnes had all the required clearances.

ITC_ a major Indian wheat exporter_ has informed the government that it had sold the wheat to a Geneva-based company_ which further sold it to a Turkish firm.

To keep local prices under control_ Indian government banned wheat exports on May 13. However_ it allowed shipment of those consignments which were agreed before the ban came into force.

Indian government confirmed that it would still allow shipments awaiting customs clearance and exports to Egypt.

Aly Moselhy previously said_ the Indian ban would not apply to a government deal with his country.