Sack Hanafy, wheat fact-finding committee suggests: The House of Representatives’ fact-finding committee probing wheat collection will recommend sacking Supplies Minister Khaled Hanafy, the head of the committee told Al Mal. The final report will not be presented until the committee completes its visits to silos across the country and the committee has agreed not to issue any specific figures until the survey the completed. Hanafy is responsible for the “corrupt” system and for wasting public funds, the head of the committee says. While admitting there may have been “violations,” Hanafy denies the accusations, saying he believes the new wheat collection system has saved the country over EGP 6 bn annually and closed multiple avenues for corruption.

The news comes as Egypt closed its first wheat tender since April, buying 180 ktons of Russian and Ukrainian wheat for delivery 10-20 August delivery, Bloomberg and Reuters reported last night. Some 120 ktons will originate out of Russia, with 60 ktons from Ukraine; Louis Dreyfus was the big winner, picking up contracts for 120 ktons in total deliveries. The General Authority for Supply Commodities’ Ahmed Mansour is getting domestic ink on the story. The contracts are the first announced since Egypt decreed it would accept ergot limits as high as the UN FAO’s max of 0.05%, as we noted.