TOKYO, July 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 141,438 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
15,150*
Hard Red Winter
12,305*
(semi hard)
Hard Red Winter
24,310*
(semi hard)
Dark Northern Spring
27,840*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
35,128*
(protein minimum 12.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White
26,705**
(West Australia)
Shipments: *Loading between Aug 21 and Sep 20
**Loading between Sep 1 and Sep 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture