TOKYO, March 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture
bought a total of 126,698 tonnes of food quality wheat from the
United States and Canada in a regular tender that closed late on
Wednesday.
A tender is normally announced on Tuesday and executed on
Thursday. The schedule was however changed this week for
administrative reasons, an official with the ministry said.
Japan, the world's sixth-biggest wheat importer, keeps a
tight grip on imports of the country's second most important
staple after rice and buys the majority of the grain for milling
via tenders typically issued three times a month.
Details are as follows (in tonnes):
COUNTRY TYPE QUANTITY
U.S. Western White 15,440*
Hard Red Winter 20,440*
(semi hard)
Dark Northern Spring 33,158*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada Western Red Spring 30,955*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring 26,705*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Shipments: * Loading between Apr 21 and May 20
Source: Ministry of Agriculture