TOKYO, April 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture
is seeking to buy a total of 137,486 tonnes of food quality
wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular
tender that will close late on Friday.
A tender is normally announced on Tuesday and executed on
Thursday. However, the schedule was changed this week due to an
administrative reason, 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 14,640 *
Hard Red Winter (semi hard) 10,350 *
Hard Red Winter (semi hard) 31,000 *
Canada Western Red Spring 24,921 *
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring 34,675 *
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia Standard White 21,900 **
(West Australia)
Shipments: * Loading between May 21 and June 20
**Loading between Aug 1 and Aug 31
Source: Ministry of Agriculture