TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 138,188 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 thrice a month.
Details are as follows (in tonnes):
COUNTRY
TYPE
Quantity U.S.
Western White
19,507*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
25,490*
Dark Northern Spring
31,360*
(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
Canada
Western Red Spring
30,271**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White (West Australia) 31,560***
Shipments:
* Loading between June 21 and July 20
**Loading between July 21 and Aug 20
***Loading between July 1 and July 31
Source: Ministry of Agriculture