ALGIERS/PARIS (Reuters) – Algeria has rejected a shipment of 27,000 tonnes of French milling wheat as unfit for consumption after two dead animals were found in the cargo, state news agency APS reported on Wednesday, citing the country’s agriculture minister.
Algerian authorities are seeking compensation for the shipment, which is to be sent back to France, Abdelhamid Hamdani was quoted as saying.
The decaying animals were found in the past week in two separate batches of the cargo, the minister said during a press conference.
Algeria is one of the world’s biggest wheat importers and France one of its main suppliers.
The North African country has also rejected a cargo of 33,000 tonnes of Canadian durum wheat for not meeting specifications, local media outlet Ennahar reported last week.
(Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Pravin Char)
