Khaled Hanafi, Egypt’s minister for supply and internal trading, shown here at a meeting Tuesday, has resigned in the wake of the country’s ongoing probe into purchases of local wheat. (MSIT.gov.eg)

Egypt’s wheat corruption scandal takes down supply minister

Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s Minister of Supply Khaled Hanafi has resigned amid the highest-profile corruption case since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power in 2014. Hanafi’s resignation is the most senior-level fallout from a probe into whether millions of dollars intended to subsidize farmers were used to purchase wheat that did not

Sunset in Egypt on the Nile River south of Luxor. (CIA.gov)

Egypt tightens import quarantine rules on grains

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt has tightened its agriculture quarantine regulations, imposing a rule that will prevent grain shipments suspected of contamination from being offloaded until they receive test results, according to a letter sent to traders Monday. The rule comes just one month after the world’s biggest wheat buyer discontinued its controversial zero tolerance



The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egyptian prosecutor says millions in local wheat falsely claimed

Cairo | Reuters –– Egypt’s general prosecutor said on Sunday that local wheat suppliers worked with government employees to falsely claim 621 million Egyptian pounds (C$92.5 million) worth of grain that does not exist. Egypt has been embroiled in a controversy over its local wheat supplies, with grains industry officials claiming that over two million


The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egypt prosecutor says some local wheat bought on paper only

Cairo | Reuters –– Egypt’s general prosecutor said on Thursday some local wheat was bought by the government in paper transactions only and not physically delivered, the first public statement by his office on the matter since fraud allegations surfaced last month. Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer, launched a government-led inspection of wheat silos



Sunset in Egypt on the Nile River south of Luxor. (CIA.gov)

Egypt appoints new top wheat buyer

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt appointed a new head on Sunday for its state wheat-importing body — one of the most influential positions in the global wheat market — as it remains mired in a dispute over the quality of grain it will buy. Minister of Supply Khaled Hanafi told Reuters Ahmed Youssef has been

The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egypt’s parliament to look into wheat fraud allegations

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt’s parliament has set up a fact-finding commission that will look into allegations of corruption in local wheat procurement. Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer, this month announced a government-led inspection of wheat silos after an unusually high procurement figure prompted allegations of possible fraud from top industry officials, traders and