TOKYO, July 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought 51,821 tonnes of food-quality wheat from Canada and Australia in a regular tender that closed late 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 majority of the grain for milling via tenders typically issued thrice a month.
Details are as follows (in tonnes): COUNTRY
TYPE
QUANTITY
Canada
Western Red Spring(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
25,195
* Australia
Standard White(west Australia)
26,626
*
Shipments:
* Loading between Sept 1 and Sept 30
Source: Ministry of Agriculture