Japan Seeks to Purchase Least Milling Wheat in Two Weeks

(Bloomberg) – Japan is seeking to buy 133,792 metric tons of milling wheat from the U.S., Canada and Australiain a regular tender on March 23, the smallest volume in two weeks, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.

The Australian wheat is for loading from May 1 to May 31, Toshiki Tojo at the ministry’s grain-trade division said today by phone. The Canadian wheat and part of the U.S. grain is for arrival in Japan by June 30, he said. The remainder is for shipment from April 21 to May 20. The volume sought is the lowest since March 8, when the government bought 96,061 tons.

The ministry, which controls overseas purchases and domestic sales to stabilize supply, is Asia’s largest buyer as a single entity. It has bought 4.52 million tons through regular tenders this fiscal year, compared with 5.16 million tons in the year ended March 31. Details of this week’s tender are listed below:

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Wheat Exporter      Grade                       Metric Tons
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U.S.                Western White                 26,775
                    Hard Red Winter               31,230
Canada              Western Red Spring            43,078
Australia           Standard White                32,709
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To contact the reporter on this story: Aya Takada in Tokyo at atakada2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:Richard Dobson at rdobson4@bloomberg.net