Japan: Government buys 61 thousand tonnes of barley via SBS tender

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought 61,000 tonnes of food barley from Canada and Australia through a tender under the simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) system, a ministry official said, according to Reuters, December 12.

The tender is for any cargo with a minimum lot of 1,000 tonnes. Shipments must be made by Feb. 10.

The food barley purchase comprises 12,000 tonnes from Canada and 49,000 tonnes from Australia.

Unlike an ordinary tender in which the only bidders are licensed trading firms, the SBS scheme allows users to negotiate directly with trading firms and decide the grain's origin, price and quantity before together placing bids to the government.

In April, the ministry introduced the more flexible SBS scheme for imports of milling wheat and barley for malt, tea and other food use.

12 December, 2007