Egypt to Consider Ergot Risks to Wheat Crops
The world’s largest wheat importer, Egypt, will take another look at the risks of ergot fungus in wheat. The announcement comes less than a month after Egypt’s government said it would accept ergot contamination in purchases of grain from overseas. Egypt has a detailed history with ergot contamination in recent months. Egypt has strayed back-and-forth from the industry standard of allowed ergot contamination levels of .05 percent. Pro Farmer’s First Thing Today reports Egypt’s agriculture ministry formed a committee to assess if the fungus in imported wheat poses a threat to the local crop. Egypt hasn’t allowed a “single grain of wheat contaminated with ergot” to enter the country, according to the agriculture ministry. Until the committee issues its report, the international standards will continue to be applied.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.