TOKYO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture said it was seeking to buy a total of 24,910 tonnes of feed wheat in a regular tender that will close on Tuesday, while it continues to halt simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) auctions.
This is the third round of such tender after Japan halted its SBS auction used for imports of feed wheat and some food wheat since the middle of October to improve transparency. date has been set for the resumption of the SBS auction, a ministry official said, adding that it may consider another round of regular tender later this month if needed.
The ministry is also seeking to buy a total of 17,000 tonnes of food quality wheat in the same tender to meet demand from buyers for those grains that are usually imported via SBS auctions.
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 regular tenders typically issued three times a month which have not been affected by the review of the SBS auction scheme.
Details of the tender are as follows (in tonnes):
COUNTRY TYPE
Quantity Shipment Arrival by
n/a
feed wheat
24,790
Dec 31
n/a
feed wheat
120
Jan 15
Canada Western Amber Durum
5,500
Dec 28
Canada Western Amber Durum
1,500
Jan 31 Australia
Premium White
10,000
Dec 15
Total
41,910
Source: Ministry of Agriculture