Accusations of using livestock fodders in bread industry in Egypt

Writers and officials in Egypt have called on the government to disclose the reality of news on importing a large shipment of wheat used as livestock fodders, to be used instead in the bread industry.

Several Egyptian writers called on the minister of works sector, Mukhtar Khattab, to disclose the details of the issue. They stressed that keeping silent over such a deal is considered a serious issue harmfull to Egyptian citizen's health. Press reports said earlier that tests made by the ministry of supply and internal trade on data of the said wheat deal, in al-Fayyoum city proved, that this wheat is not for human consumption, and that it is specified to be used as a fodder.

The Egyptian deputy premier and minister of Agriculture, Youssef Wali, denied importing such quality of wheat, noting that the specialized authorities licensed the shipment. He added he had decided to "sack the secretary of the feeding science institute which belongs to the ministry over issuing such a report."

The Egyptian parliament on Monday held urgent discussions at the request of many of its members, in which Mukhtar Khattab was absent. The ministry of works sector has not issued comments since the news were rumored. Parliamentary sources said that the administrative audition is investigating over the discovery of large amounts of this shipment in governmental laboratories in al-Fayyoum province, to the south west of Cairo.

Reports said that the ministry imported some 31,000 tons of the French wheat dedicated as livestock fodders, and used part of this amount in bread production after mixing it with flour.