Egypt's state prosecutor ordered the seizure of all Russian wheat for checks over health concerns, Egyptian state media said on Wednesday, in what Russia's grain lobby said was an attempt to influence prices.

"The state prosecution ordered the seizure of all quantities of wheat imported to the country from Russia, whether it is still at Safaga port or has been released to the various provinces," state news agency Mena said.

The prosecutor took the move after a complaint that a quantity of spoiled wheat unfit for human consumption had entered the Red Sea port of Safaga without proper quality control approvals, Mena added.

The head of the Russian Grain Union, Arkady Zlochevsky, accused Egypt of having the "sole objective to force us to sell at lower prices".

"All grains we ship to Egypt fully correspond to conditions, including grade and quality, specified in export contracts," Zlochevsky said. "The problem is not the quality, but an attempt to play with prices." 

Wheat samples will be tested to see if they fit standards agreed upon by Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) and Egyptian Traders, which imported the wheat, and to check whether the complaint was true.

The prosecutor also summoned officials from GASC and Egyptian Traders for questioning. - Reuters