Egypt procures 3.4mn tonnes of local wheat

CAIRO: Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer, has procured 3.4 million tonnes of wheat from local farmers since the harvest began in mid-April, Supply Minister Ali Moselhi said on Monday.

The local procurement season runs until July and the ministry has said it is targeting between 3.5 million to 4 million tonnes of local wheat this year.

The country also has 1.2 million tonnes in sugar reserves, 320,000 tonnes of vegetable oil reserves, enough to last for four months, and 150,000 tonnes of rice reserves, Moselhi said at a news conference.