TOKYO, June 8 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought a total of 159,610 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 majority of the grain for milling via tenders typically issued thrice a month.
Details are as follows (in tonnes):
COUNTRY
TYPE
Quantity U.S.
Western White
24,100*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
22,560*
Dark Northern Spring
34,455*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
24,200**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring
30,875**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia)
23,420***
Shipments:
* Loading between July 21 and Aug 20
**Loading between Aug 21 and Sept 20
***Loading between Aug 1 and 31
Source: Ministry of Agriculture