Tunisia buys soft wheat and barley in tender

HAMBURG: Tunisia's state grains agency purchased an estimated 159,000 tonnes of soft milling wheat and 50,000 tonnes of animal feed barley in an international tender that closed on Thursday, European traders said.

The grain can all be sourced from optional origins.

The wheat volume was less than the 176,000 tonnes initially reported by some traders and the amount Tunisia had been seeking in the tender.

The barley volume matched what the agency had been targeting.

The lowest price paid for the soft wheat was said to be $211.98 a tonne, cost and freight (c&f) included, with the highest thought to be at $216.89 a tonne c&f, the traders said.

For the wheat, Tunisia had sought five consignments of 25,000 tonnes and three of 17,000 tonnes for shipment between July 25 and Sept. 25, depending on the origin selected.

It did not make a purchase for one of the 17,000 tonne cargoes sought, traders said.

For the barley, the agency sought two 25,000-tonne consignments for shipment between Aug. 25 and Sept. 25, also depending on the origin chosen.

The prices paid for the two barley cargoes bought in the tender were believed to be $196.23 and $196.35 a tonne c&f.

A tender had been expected after Tunisia bought only 25,000 tonnes of soft milling wheat after seeking up to 134,000 tonnes in its previous one on June 11.

The country's grain agency bought 50,000 tonnes of feed barley on the same date, also less than a targeted volume of 100,000 tonnes.