Shipment of wheat from Russia rejected by STC, FCI

Chennai, Sep 29 (UNI) After the controversial import of Australian wheat, a shipment of wheat from Russia is now in the eye of a storm following reports of ''extraneous matter'' found in the 50,000 tonne cargo.

Port Trust sources told UNI here today that the ship ''MV Astron Spirit'', carrying the consignment, has been waiting outside the port for about one month.

The ship would be allowed to berth at the Port only after getting clearance from the STC and the FCI. ''As of now, the status quo is being maintained. The ship is waiting outside'', the sources said.

The consignment was rejected by the State Trading Corporation (STC) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

The consignment was part of the three lakh tonnes contracted by STC from the Geneva-based Agrico SA in July at the rate of 210-212 dollars a tonne.

The wheat samples were first tested by Chennai Port health officers and the quarantine officials which revealed presence of ''extraneous matter'' in the wheat. Subsequent tests by the Central Food Technology Research Institute at Mysore confirmed the findings of the Port health officials.

''The wheat is having foreign matter of 1.1 per cent against the permissible limit of one per cent,'' the sources said.

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