Turkey rejects Indian wheat consignment on phytosanitary concerns: Report

Turkish authorities have denied permission to Indian wheat consignment over phytosanitary concerns, prompting a ship to initiate its return journey on May 29, traders were quoted as saying by S&P Global Commodity Insights on Tuesday.

According to S&P Global Commodity Insights report, the MV Ince Akdeniz loaded with 56,877 tonnes of durum wheat is now headed back to Kandla port in Gujarat from Turkey.

"The wheat consignment was detected with Indian Rubella disease and was rejected by the Turkish ministry of agriculture and forestry," a trader based in Istanbul told S&P. The vessel will return to Kandla by mid-June, the trader added.

Turkey's decision comes at a time when international buyers have been looking to secure supplies of wheat. Global supply of wheat has been severely affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine since the two countries account for one-fourth of global wheat trade.

According to the S&P report, this has made exporters anxious about the future of other wheat shipments headed to different nations, including to Egypt in the next few days.

When the Russia-Ukraine conflict led to supplies moving out of the market, India emerged as a potential global supplier for wheat exports.

On May 13, the commerce ministry banned wheat exports, as an intense heat wave hit output and domestic prices hit a record high.
 

The sudden ban on wheat exports trapped about 1.8 million tonnes of the grain at ports, potentially forcing traders to take heavy losses.

The Centre has said that apart from meeting the food grain requirements of neighbouring and vulnerable countries, the decision will help control the retail prices of wheat and flour, which have risen by an average of 14 to 20 per cent in the last one year.

Soon after the announcement, at least 4,000 trucks carrying the food grain were stranded outside Deendayal Port at Kandla for want of permission from authorities to load them into vessels, port and industry officials said.