Japan buys 55,263 tonnes Canada wheat, buying binge continues

    TOKYO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture 
continued its Canadian grain buying binge, taking a total of 
55,263 tonnes of Western Red Spring wheat in a regular tender 
that closed on Thursday, an official said.  
    Japan has been ramping up purchases from the North American 
producer after it produced a record wheat crop with protein 
levels lower than usual, making its prices attractive. 
   
    Between April and December 2013, Japan farm ministry 
purchases of Western Red Spring were up 37 percent over the 
corresponding period a year earlier. Until recently, the 
ministry had typically bought 20,000 to 30,000 tonnes of the 
grain in weekly tenders.  
    The world's sixth-biggest wheat importer also bought food 
quality wheat from the United States in the tender for milling 
grain, which is usually issued three times a month, putting its 
total at 105,019 tonnes for the week. 
     
    Details (in tonnes): 
    COUNTRY           TYPE                         QUANTITY 
    U.S.              Hard Red Winter*              20,795 
                      (semi-hard) 
                      Dark Northern Spring*          28,961 
                      (protein minimum 14.0 pct) 
    Canada            Western Red Spring            27,793 
                      (protein minimum 12.5 pct) 
                      Western Red Spring**           27,470 
                      (protein minimum 12.5 pct) 
    Shipments: *Loading between Feb. 21 and March 20;  
    **Arrival by May 31;  
 
 (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori and James Topham; Editing by 
Clarence Fernandez) 
 ((james.topham@thomsonreuters.com)(+813 6441 1858)(Reuters 
Messaging: james.topham.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: JAPAN WHEAT/TENDER