TOKYO, March 17 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 149,550 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
15,100*
Hard Red Winter
18,150*
(semi hard)
Dark Northern Spring
30,130*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
24,800*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White
31,160**
(West Australia)
Standard White
30,210**
(West Australia)
Shipments:
* Loading between April 21 and May 20
** Loading between June 1 and June 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture