TOKYO, Sep 3 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 137,570 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular tender that will close late on Wednesday.
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
QUANTITY
Western White
18,790
* U.S.
Hard Red Winter(Semi Hard)
15,710
* U.S.
Dark Northern Spring(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
34,725
** Canada
Western Red Spring(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
34,925
** Australia
Standard White(west Australia)
33,420
*** Shipments: *Arrival by Dec 31, **Loading between Oct 21 and Nov 20, ***Loading between Nov 1 and Nov 30 Source: Ministry of Agriculture