Russia renewed its stranglehold over Egyptian wheat tenders, scooping all but one batch of a 300,000-tonne order, despite warnings of insect damage to Black Sea grain.

Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities, the main state grain buyer for the world's biggest wheat importing state, said that it had bought 60,000 tonnes of Russia wheat from each of four traders at $198.75 a tonne.

The traders were Alex Grain, Aston, Valars and Venus.

Pest fears

The award follows a relatively weak showing in a tender last week when German wheat, unusually,  appeared among the winners.

Low levels of pesticide use, reflecting tight credit conditions, and mild weather have created benign conditions for insects, Johny Boerjan, an SGS executive, said.

GASC has said it is no longer seeking Ukraine milling wheat, with Mr Boerjan viewing France as the main beneficiary of the Black Sea clampdown.

Prices rise 

France won the order for the remaining 60,000 tonnes of wheat, priced at $201 a tonne and offered by Glencore.

North America was, once again, not represented among the winners, and has not been since September 2, with analysts continuing to warn that a fund-fuelled rally in Chicago is pricing US wheat out of export markets.

January wheat stood E1.25 higher at E133.00 a tonne in late trade in Paris, although traders said that the move reflected a strong performance in Chicago, the world's leading grains market, rather than a reaction to the Egyptian order.

Chicago wheat for December was 20.25 cents higher at $5.53 ¼ a bushel.