Egypt plays down poppy seed spat threatening wheat supply

Egypt

EGYPT moved to ease a dispute over poppy seeds in wheat cargoes after a spat with international traders threatened to lead to boycotts and jeopardise food supplies.

Two shipments held up at Egypt's Safaga port amid concerns over toxic poppy seeds have now been authorised for unloading, and officials tried to assure the public that non-harmful poppies are common in Europe and cannot be used to produce narcotics. Confusion over the red and pink types of the flower were behind the hold-ups, the French embassy has suggested.