TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 108,442 tonnes of food quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular tender that closed 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 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
20,300*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
13,875*
Dark Northern Spring
29,945*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
23,482**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia) 20,840***
Shipments:
* Loading between March 21 and April 20
**Loading between April 21 and May 20
***Loading between April 1 and April 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture