About 300.000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat ordered by Egypt's state grain buyer for delivery in February and March have yet to be shipped, with one cargo stuck in port and four others being loaded, four traders told an exclusive Reuters report.
Egypt's General Authority for the Supply of Commodities (GASC) has offered traders an extension to secure the shipments, according to traders and officials.
Egypt, usually the world's largest wheat importer, was heavily dependent on Black Sea wheat shipments disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The war has raised concerns about Egypt's ability to maintain its strategic reserves and secure affordable wheat used to make heavily subsidized bread available to nearly two-thirds of the population.
Egypt's Prime Minister said this week that the government has four months' worth of wheat reserves.[/B] Traders say any wheat purchased counts towards the country's strategic stocks, even if it has not yet been delivered.
Two of the shipments not yet loaded were contracts from Nibulon and two others from Inerco, traders said. A fifth cargo under contract with Olam is stuck in the port of Chornomorsk, Ukraine, on a GTCS ship.
Egypt's supply minister confirmed on Sunday that authorities had granted an extension for the delivery of the cargoes, but could not be immediately reached for further comment.
As Ukraine's ports have been blocked by Russia's invasion, the country has been forced to send cargoes to its western border, relying on limited rail capacity and small ports on the Danube River.
GASC has purchased foreign grain only once since the war in Ukraine began, buying mostly French grain in April at a higher price than it previously paid.
Source: CNA
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