TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is seeking to buy a total of 119,345 metric tons of food-quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia 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 three times a month. Details are as follows (in metric tons):
COUNTRY TYPE QUANTITY U.S. Western White 12,750 * U.S. Hard Red Winter(Semi Hard) 22,590 * U.S. Western White 18,745 * U.S. Hard Red Winter(Semi Hard) 11,290 * Canada Western Red Spring(protein minimum 13.5 pct) 24,790 *Australia Standard White(west Australia) 29,180 ** Shipments: *Loading between April 21 and May 20**Loading between June 1 and June 30 Source: MAFF
