TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 138,855 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
13,200**
Hard Red Winter(semi hard)
11,450**
Western White
18,848**
Hard Red Winter(semi hard)
16,000**
Dark Norhtern Spring
23,330**
(protein minimum 14.0%)
Canada
Western Red Spring
27,207*
(protein minimum 12.5 pct)
Australia
Standard White
28,820***
(West Australia)
Shipments:
* Arrival by Dec 31
** Loading between Oct 21 and Nov 20
*** Loading between Nov 1 and Nov 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture