Saudi Arabia says seeks 660,000 tonnes of wheat in tender

29 Jan, 2015

ABU DHABI: Saudi Arabia's state grain buyer, the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization (GSFMO), said on Thursday it was seeking 660,000 tonnes of hard wheat in a tender.

The wheat, with 12.5 percent protein content, is for shipment during April and May, GSFMO said in a statement.

The wheat will be purchased in shipments of 55,000 tonnes with a total 330,000 tonnes to be imported via the port of Jeddah and 330,000 tonnes via Dammam, the statement said.

In its last reported tender on Nov. 24, GSFMO bought 345,000 tonnes of hard wheat, with accepted origins the European Union, North and South America and Australia, at the seller's option.

Saudi Arabia has become a major importer of hard and soft wheat since abandoning plans for self-sufficiency in wheat in 2008 as farming in the desert drained away precious water supplies.

The country aims to steadily reduce agriculture and plans to be completely reliant on imports by 2016 to save water.

Copyright Reuters, 2015

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