HAMBURG: Saudi Arabia's main state wheat buying agency, the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO), said on Thursday it has issued an international tender to purchase 595,000 tonnes of hard wheat.

The tender deadline is Friday.

The wheat, with 12.5 percent protein content, is sought from global suppliers for arrival in Saudi Arabia in September and October, it said.

SAGO Governor Ahmad Al Fares said in a statement the wheat was sought in 10 individual consignments.

The shipments will be distributed between the ports of Jeddah (360,000 tonnes), Dammam (180,000 tonnes) and Jizan (55,000 tonnes).

In its last reported wheat tender on May 7, SAGO bought 545,000 tonnes.

SAGO also bought 1.74 million tonnes of animal feed barley in a separate tender on Monday.

Saudi Arabia has become a major importer of hard and soft wheat since abandoning plans for self-sufficiency because farming in the desert drained precious water supplies.