It was optional origin. Prices were between $330.89 a tonne c&f and $343.00 a tonne c&f, traders said.

Traders said the following purchases were made in dollars a tonne c&f.

The shipment period is in a range depending on origin: 25,000 tonnes at $330.89 for Sept. 15-25; 25,000 tonnes at $332.69 for Sept. 25-Oct. 5; 25,000 tonnes at $339.70 also for Sept. 25-Oct. 5; 25,000 tonnes at $341.89 for Oct. 5-Oct.15 and 25,000 tonnes at $343.00 for Oct. 15-Oct. 25.

Sellers were trading houses Granit and Casillo.

Unusually, an offer for 25,000 tonnes of Indian-origin wheat was also made in the tender, but at the higher price of $370 a tonne c&f.

India has started major wheat exports to reduce its huge stocks.

"The Indian wheat was offered at a competitive fob price of $330 a tonne for Sept. 15-25 shipment," one trader said. "This was around the same level of $329-$330 from other optional origns."

"But Indian wheat obviously has much higher shipment costs than origins like the Black Sea."

Copyright Reuters, 2012