TOKYO, July 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 89,443 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States 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 imports of 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
17,457*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
10,110*
Dark Nothern Spring
32,031*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia)
29,845**
Shipments:
* Loading between Aug. 21 and Sept. 20
**Loading between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture