TOKYO, April 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 126,398 tonnes of food quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular tender that will close 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
17,900*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
16,735*
Dark Northern Spring
31,703*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
34,510*
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia) 25,550**
Shipments:
* Loading between May 21 and June 20
**Loading between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31
Source: Ministry of Agriculture