Tunisia buys soft wheat, durum wheat and feed barley in tender

HAMBURG: Tunisia's state grains agency has purchased soft wheat, durum and animal feed barley in an international tender that closed on Wednesday, European traders said.

Tonnage bought was initially unclear. The purchase was thought to be close to the sought volume of 117,000 tonnes of soft wheat, 100,000 tonnes of durum wheat and 100,000 tonnes of barley.

The grains were all sought for shipment between Jan. 15 and Feb. 25, depending on origin.

The soft wheat was sought in four consignments of 25,000 tonnes and one of 17,000 tonnes.

The durum and barley were both sought in four 25,000 tonne consignments.

Traders said the soft wheat was said to have been bought in a series of consignments from trading house Olam at an estimated $281.95 a tonne c&f, from Viterra at $280.15 a tonne c&f, from Cargill at $282.72 a tonne c&f and another from Olam at $282.95 a tonne c&f.

Two consignments of durum wheat were said to have been bought from Viterra at an estimated $371.09 and $373.03 a tonne c&f, and other consignments from Casillo at $375.89 a tonne c&f and from Richardson at $376.00 a tonne c&f.

For the barley, two consignments were said to have been bought from Aston, both at $241.50 a tonne c&f, and two from Viterra at $243.23 and $244.23 a tonne c&f.

COVID-19 restrictions meant the Tunisian agency was restricting access to its tender meetings, making the assessment of tender results more difficult, traders said. More details and confirmation are still awaited.

More import demand was sparked this week after Russia confirmed a grain export tax and quota from Feb. 15 to June 30 to try to limit rising domestic food prices after President Vladimir Putin criticised the impact of excessive inflation.