TOKYO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 139,382 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular tender that will close late on Thursday.
Japan, the world's sixth-biggest wheat importer, keeps a tight grip on the country's second-most important staple after rice, and buys majority of the grain for milling via tenders typically issued thrice a month.
Details are as follows (in tonnes):
COUNTRY
TYPE
Quantity U.S.
Western White
17,560*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
14,125*
Dark Northern Spring
23,960**
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
25,320*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring
24,822**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard WhiteWest Australia)
33,595***
Shipments:
* Arriving by Dec. 31
** Loading between Oct. 21 and Nov. 20
*** Loading between Nov. 1 and Nov.30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture