TOKYO, March 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 126,698 tonnes of food quality wheat from the United States and Canada in a regular tender that closed late on Wednesday.
A tender is normally announced on Tuesday and executed on Thursday. The schedule was however changed this week for administrative reasons, an official with the ministry said.
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
15,440*
Hard Red Winter
20,440*
(semi hard)
Dark Northern Spring
33,158*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
30,955*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring
26,705*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Shipments:
* Loading between Apr 21 and May 20
Source: Ministry of Agriculture