Japan buys 118,795 tonnes food wheat via tender

    TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture 
bought a total of 118,795 tonnes of food quality wheat from the 
United States and Australia in a tender that closed late on 
Wednesday. 
    The tender for milling wheat, which is usually issued on 
Tuesdays and awarded on Thursdays, was awarded earlier this week 
since Friday is a national holiday and to wrap up buying for the 
current fiscal year, which ends later this month, according to 
an official. 
    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                30,415* 
                      Hard Red Winter(semi-hard)   33,500* 
                      Dark Northern Spring         32,440** 
                      (protein minimum 14 pct) 
    Australia         Standard White               22,440*** 
                      (West Australia) 
    Shipments: *Loading between April 21 and May 20 
               **Loading between May 21 and June 20 
               ***Loading between May 1 and May 31      
    Source: Ministry of Agriculture  
 
 (Reporting By Michio Kohno; Editing by Prateek Chatterjee) 
 ((michio.kohno@thomsonreuters.com)(+81364411874)(Reuters 
Messaging: michio.kohno.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: JAPAN WHEAT/TENDER