HOME-GROWN Cereals Authority staff met Egyptian government ministers and millers in Cairo last week (w/e Oct 1) to promote the benefits of UK milling wheat.

Egypt imports around 8m tonnes of wheat a year mainly from America, Australia and France.

The HGCA‘s Andrew Flux said: “There is a good possibility of the UK needing non-EU markets in the future. The Egyptians are keen to find another suitable supplier.”

Amr Khatar, head miller with the Food Industries Holding Company, which accounts for 70% of imports, said: “Our testing has shown us we can successfully use UK wheat to bake traditional Egyptian breads.

“We would like to see UK wheat available to our market.”

The HGCA is to invite Egyptian millers to use UK wheats first hand at a bread-baking workshop in spring 2005.