TOKYO, March 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 146,455 tonnes of food quality wheat from the United States and Canada 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
8,170*
Hard Red Winter (semi hard)
16,550*
Dark Northern Spring (14.0%)
28,560*
Dark Northern Spring (14.0%)
30,618* Canada
Western Red Spring
34,897**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Western Red Spring
27,660**
(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
Shipments:
* Loading between Apr.21 and May 20
**Loading between May 21 and June 20
Source: Ministry of Agriculture