Japan's Ministry of Agriculture seeks to buy a total 54,476 tonnes of food wheat, 26,512 tonnes of food barley and 5,500 tonnes of beer barley in tenders under the simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) system, all closing on December 17, a ministry official said.

 

Of the total, 38,320 tonnes of milling wheat is for bulk imports with a minimum lot of 1,000 tonnes, and so is 25,000 tonnes of food barley and 5,500 tonnes of beer barley. The remaining 16,156 tonnes of food wheat is for container-based shipments with a minimum lot of 100 tonnes and so is the remaining 1,512 tonnes of food barley.

 

All shipments must be made between the time contracts are made and January 31, 2009, the official said. The SBS system allows users to negotiate directly with trading firms and decide the grain's origin, price and quantity before together placing bids to the government.