Japan: Japan purchases 6,000 tonnes of Canadian malting barley and 600 tonnes of feed barley from Australia

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture bought less than it planned for the fourth food grain tender in a row on October, 30 as it purchased 600 tonnes of food barley from Australia, instead of a planned 1,000 tonnes, Reuters communicated on October, 30.

All placed bids were accepted in the tender under the simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) system, a ministry official said.

Another tender the ministry closed on the same day fell in line with its original plan. Japan bought 6,000 tonnes of malting barley from Canada, the official said.

The tender was for for bulk imports with a minimum lot of 1,000 tonnes, it was reported.

All shipments are due between the time contracts are made and Jan. 31, 2009.

Unlike an ordinary tender between the ministry and licensed traders, the SBS system allows users to negotiate directly with trading firms and decide the grain's origin, price and quantity before together placing bids to the government.

31 October, 2008