Are Egyptian authorities backing down from another ergot-type fiasco?

Are Egyptian authorities backing down from another ergot-type fiasco? Egyptian authorities plan to sieve the shipments of French and Romanian wheat that were halted for allegedly containing poppy seeds, Agriculture Minister Abdel Moneim Al Banna tells Reuters. The newswire notes that Al Banna’s comments “are the first by an official to suggest that the poppy seeds, which suppliers have argued are harmless, could be safely removed from the cargoes in order to avoid a costly rejection.” The holdups with the two shipments had given rise to fresh concerns about the jurisdictions involved in wheat purchases in Egypt, especially after last year’s distress over ergot.