Egypt Eyes Adding India as a Wheat Import Origin This Month

Stalks of wheat are seen at a field in El-Kalubia governorate, northeast of Cairo, March 1, 2022. (Reuters)
Stalks of wheat are seen at a field in El-Kalubia governorate, northeast of Cairo, March 1, 2022. (Reuters)
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Egypt Eyes Adding India as a Wheat Import Origin This Month

Stalks of wheat are seen at a field in El-Kalubia governorate, northeast of Cairo, March 1, 2022. (Reuters)
Stalks of wheat are seen at a field in El-Kalubia governorate, northeast of Cairo, March 1, 2022. (Reuters)

Egypt's Supply Ministry has confirmed that it is considering this month adding wheat from India to 16 other national import origins accepted by its state grains buyer, as it seeks to shore up purchases disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A delegation from Egypt's Agriculture Ministry is in India "looking at phytosanitary measures and examining Indian grains in preparation for the accreditation of India as a wheat import origin," the Supply Ministry said in a statement to Reuters.

Egypt, often the world's top wheat importer, usually buys the grain via tenders set by its state grains buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC). Purchases go toward heavily subsidized bread available to more than 60 million Egyptians.

GASC's tender book currently has 16 accredited wheat import origins, including Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, Kazakhstan and the United States. The most recent addition, Latvia, was added last November.

GASC often prefers Black Sea wheat because of its proximity, quality and competitive prices, usually forgoing offers from other origins. In its last tender, a rare US wheat bid was offered but was not purchased.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February has driven up global wheat prices and disrupted Black Sea shipping, though wheat shipments from Russia continued in March.

Future purchases of Indian wheat would depend on suppliers "offering competitive bids at unique prices in GASC's tenders, as well as on the quantities offered," the Supply Ministry said.

India is looking to take advantage of the gap in the wheat export market left by the Ukrainian crisis. Despite surplus wheat stocks, logistical bottlenecks and quality concerns have previously stymied India's efforts to sell large volumes on the world market.

"Since the Egyptian delegation is here, it very clearly means that they are serious about (buying wheat from India)," Sudhanshu Pandey, the top official at India's food ministry, told Reuters.

Egypt has been working to diversify its purchases, holding talks with France, Argentina, and the United States.

The government is studying different ways to purchase wheat, according to several traders, including by issuing limited origin tenders or direct purchases outside the tender framework.

On Monday, GASC issued a limited tender to purchase wheat of European origins only. It cancelled two tenders shortly after the Ukraine war started.

It is unclear whether the government will initiate direct purchases, but traders have said the process could be hindered by Egypt's regulatory framework.



Trump Announces 30% Tariffs Against EU, Mexico to begin August 1

President Donald J. Trump speaks at a roundtable discussion at the Community Emergency Operations Center in Kerrville, Texas, Friday, July 11, 2025. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
President Donald J. Trump speaks at a roundtable discussion at the Community Emergency Operations Center in Kerrville, Texas, Friday, July 11, 2025. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
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Trump Announces 30% Tariffs Against EU, Mexico to begin August 1

President Donald J. Trump speaks at a roundtable discussion at the Community Emergency Operations Center in Kerrville, Texas, Friday, July 11, 2025. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
President Donald J. Trump speaks at a roundtable discussion at the Community Emergency Operations Center in Kerrville, Texas, Friday, July 11, 2025. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

President Donald Trump on Saturday announced he's levying tariffs of 30% against the European Union and Mexico.

Trump announced the tariffs on two of the United States' biggest trade partners in letters posted to his social media account.

In his letter to Mexico's leader, Trump acknowledged that the country has been helpful in stemming the flow of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the United States. But he said the country has not done enough to stop North America from turning into a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

“Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough,” Trump added, The AP news reported.

Trump in his letter to the European Union said that the US trade deficit was a national security threat.

“We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers,” Trump wrote in the letter to the EU. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.”

Trump is in the midst of an announcement blitz of new tariffs with allies and foes alike, a bedrock of his 2024 campaign that he said would set the foundation for reviving a US economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades.

With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively blowing up the rules governing world trade. For decades, the United States and most other countries abided by tariff rates set through a series of complex negotiations known as the Uruguay round. Countries could set their own tariffs – but under the “most favored nation’’ approach, they couldn’t charge one country more than they charged another.

With Saturday's letters, Trump has now issued tariff conditions on 24 countries and the 27-member European Union.

The European Union’s chief trade negotiator said earlier this week that a trade deal to avert higher tariffs on European goods imported to the US could be reached “even in the coming days.” Maroš Šefčovič told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday that the EU had been spared the increased tariffs contained in the letters Trump sent on Monday, and that an extension of talks would provide “additional space to reach a satisfactory conclusion.”

The bloc collectively sells more to the US than any other country. US goods imports from the EU topped $553 billion in 2022, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

Trump on April 2 proposed a 20% tariff for EU goods and then threatened to raise that to 50% after negotiations did not move as fast as he would have liked. Sefcovic did not mention any tariff figures.

The higher tariffs as well as any EU retaliation had been suspended as the two sides negotiate. However the base rate of 10% for most trade partners as well as higher rates of 25% on autos and 50% on steel and aluminum had gone into effect.

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former Congressional Budget Office director and president of the center-right American Action Forum, said the letters were evidence that serious trade talks were not taking place over the past three months. He stressed that nations were instead talking amongst themselves about how to minimize their own exposure to the US economy and Trump.

“They’re spending time talking to each other about what the future is going to look like, and we’re left out,” Holtz-Eakin said.

He added that Trump was using the letters to demand attention, but, “In the end, these are letters to other countries about taxes he’s going to levy on his citizens.”