Morocco licenses import of EU soft wheat

Morocco's state grains agency ONICL has awarded licences to import 165,000 tonnes of European Union soft wheat at reduced import duties in a tender which closed on Wednesday, European traders said on Thursday.
The total was above the tender volume of 150,000 tonnes and showed the country's continuing strong import requirement, traders said. The origin was thought to be largely French. ONICL does not import wheat directly but instead awards import licences at reduced duties in competitive tenders. The winners then have the right to sell the grain in Morocco.
The bidders offering to pay the highest import duty get the licences. The winners on Wednesday were likely to pay about $1.5 a tonne less import duty than normal.