Abu Dhabi mill seeks to buy soft wheat

A flour mill in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is tendering to buy about 25,000 tonnes of soft wheat, European traders said on Monday. Shipment was scheduled for May in a single consignment. Origin was optional but it was thought likely to come from the European Union or Kazakhstan, traders said.
The bidding deadline was Wednesday. Wheat tenders from Mideast Gulf private buyers are comparatively rare. "It may be a sign of tight international grain supplies, with large volumes increasingly difficult to find," one trader said.
Emirates flour mills have in past years bought supplies from regions including Russia, which currently has export restrictions, and Pakistan, which is currently a large grain importer following a poor domestic crop.