TOKYO, May 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 121,357 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
6,672*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
28,130*
Dark Northern Spring
33,485*
(protein nimimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
28,720*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia) 24,350**
Shipments:
* Loading between June 21 and July 20
**Loading between Sep 1 and Sep 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture