(MENAFN) Egypt, the world's hugest purchaser of wheat, obligated restrictive import requirements, alarming dealers to refuse tenders for the politically commodity.

Moreover, the country's grain buyer, permits for a 0.05 percent ergot level, but the agricultural authority claimed all incoming shipments over zero would be banded.

"Any wheat that we inspect that has any level of ergot will be rejected. I am obliged to do this as it would be very harmful if any level of contamination reached plants in Egypt," said head of agriculture authority.

However, General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), claimed that the new ergot need was under discussion and that it had not yet changed its tender conditions.