Australian wheat was offered lowest at $279.70 a tonne c&f free out (ciffo) in a tender from Iraq's state grains board to buy at least 50,000 tonnes of hard wheat, European traders said on Monday. The tender closed on Sunday and offers must remain valid up to Thursday, February 19, traders said.
No purchase had yet been made, they said. Australian wheat was the main origin in the tender, with a total 550,000 tonnes offered, traders said. The lowest Australian offer was followed by a series of others for Australian wheat between $280.90 and $283.20, they said.
A total of 200,000 tonnes of US-origin wheat was offered, the lowest at $297.85 a tonne ciffo, traders said. One offer of 100,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat was made at $294.43 a tonne ciffo. Despite Russian export restrictions, one offer of Russian wheat was made at $284.58 a tonne ciffo, they said. The tender sought wheat from the United States, Canada, Australia and Russia only for shipment between Mar. 1-30 with delivery to Iraq between March 31 and May 14. In its last reported wheat tender on December 29, Iraq's state grains board purchased 200,000 tonnes of hard wheat to be sourced from Canada, the United States and Australia in an international tender for at least 50,000 tonnes. Volumes in Iraq's wheat tenders are nominal and the country frequently buys more than it tenders for.