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MOSCOW, September 26 Egyptian authorities and Russia, within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement, are negotiating the purchase of 1 million tons of Russian wheat, Bloomberg reported.
«Egypt is negotiating the purchase of 1 million tons of Russian wheat within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement,» the agency reports.
Negotiations are underway on supplies this season. At the same time, sources clarified that the degree of proximity of the countries to concluding agreements is unclear.
And at the beginning of the month, the media reported that Egypt had purchased about 0.5 million tons of wheat from Russia “privately,” deviating from the usual tender process.
The Egyptian government traditionally buys wheat only through tenders, but in April Bloomberg reported plans to allow wheat purchases through direct offers to the Ministry of Supply. In July, Bloomberg reported that the Egyptian Food Procurement Agency (GASC) was in talks with private traders to buy wheat.
In mid-July, Nomani Nasr Nomani, adviser to Egypt's Minister of Supply on Commodity Supply, confirmed that Egypt was seeking to increase wheat supplies by diversifying its import sources to complement local production. And even earlier, the first assistant to the country’s supply minister, Ibrahim Ashmawy, explained that Egypt is one of the largest importers of wheat and the share of wheat from Russia in its imports is estimated at 80%.