Egypt has imposed a ban on wheat that contains any ergot.
The new standard, which is retroactive, replaces a tolerance
of 0.05 per cent ergot.
The country says it’s concerned that ergot could attack its
crops.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
says there is little risk associated with the small tolerance for ergot, but
said it’s willing to change its mind if even miniscule amounts of ergot do pose
a threat to crops.
The Egyptian announcement has caught the grain trade
flat-footed and one trader told Reuters it’s going to cause chaos.
