Egypt could be the next country hit by Russia with a produce import ban, as the ex-Soviet country threatens to block citrus shipments. 

Multiple news outlets have reported the development is linked to Egypt's failure to approve Russian wheat imports following the tightening of phytosanitary controls.

Russia, however, claims the ban is being considered due to multiple disease detections on Egyptian citrus consignments.

News agency Reuters said the North African country had not given the green light to significant volumes of Russia wheat imports since strengthening its regulations on ergot, a common grain fungus, in late August.

Several shipments suspected of containing trace levels of the fungus have since been held at Russian ports, awaiting a decision from Egypt over whether to allow them to pass under previous regulations, the story said.

The new restrictions on ergot could halt Russian wheat exports to Egypt at a time when the country reportedly has its largest wheat crop in post-Soviet history.

Russian wheat export prices fell last week, partly due to delayed supplies to Egypt, and are expected to remain under pressure until the situation is resolved, Reuters said.

However, on Tuesday Russia's food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said it was concerned about the 'systematic breach of international and phytosanitary requirements' in large quantities of Egyptian citrus fruit set for export to Russia.

It did not disclose the list of the products that could be banned.

Russia bought around US$150 million of Egyptian citrus products in 2015, about 13% of its total citrus imports from across the world, according to Reuters.

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