The Egyptian government has purchased 3.96 million tonnes of locally grown wheat so far this harvest, the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said on Sunday, quoting the agriculture minister.
Typically the world’s biggest importer of wheat, the cash-strapped Egyptian state has cut back on foreign purchases as it hopes for a bumper grain crop.
Al-Ahram quoted Ahmed El-Gezawi, the agriculture minister, as saying imports of foreign wheat in the current fiscal year starting July 1, 2012, fell to 6.66 million tonnes compared to10 million tonnes in the previous fiscal year.
Bassem Ouda, the minister of supplies, said on June 11 the state had bought 3.5 million tonnes so far this season.
The government said on June 12 that Egypt’s total stock of wheat, both from local sources and overseas suppliers, is 3.915million tonnes, enough to last until Nov. 16.
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