TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to buy a total of 96,870 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States and Canada 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 tonnes): COUNTRY TYPE
QUANTITY
U.S.
Western White
15,925
* U.S.
Dark Northern Spring(protein minimum 14.0 pct)
16,835
* U.S.
Hard Red Winter(Semi Hard)
30,975
* Canada Western Red Spring(protein minimum 13.5 pct)
33,135
* Shipments: *Loading between June 21 and July 20 Source: Ministry of Agriculture