TOKYO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) bought a total of 94,387 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States, Canada and Australia in a regular tender that closed on Wednesday.
Japan, the world's sixth-biggest wheat importer, keeps a tight grip on imports of the country's second-most important staple behind 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 7,004 * U.S. Hard Red Winter(Semi hard) 28,560 * Canada Western Red Spring(protein minimum 13.5 pct) 35,293 * Australia Standard White(West Australia) 23,530 **Shipments: * Loading between March 21 and April 20
** Loading between June 1 and June 30 Source: Ministry of Agriculture
