Egyptian officials to inspect wheat shipments abroad

Agriculture Ministry officials will be allowed once again to travel abroad to inspect wheat shipments at the port of origin, traders told Reuters. The move will undo guidelines set by the government in 2016 effectively suspending Egypt’s routine of sending abroad delegations of six officials to inspect the shipments, which the US Department of Agriculture deemed as an “unnecessary and burdensome” practice. The suspension was put in place after a French wheat shipment was rejected upon arriving in Egypt for containing traces of the ergot fungus despite being approved by government officials before being shipped. Traders have criticized the decision to resume port of origin checks, saying people “will get very worried about ship rejections.”