DUBAI/HAMBURG - Saudi Arabia's main state buying agency the General Food Security Authority (GFSA) said on Monday it bought 985,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender.

This was above the 710,000 tons from sought in the tender. Delivery is scheduled between June and August, the authority said.

Shipment was limited to Saudi Arabian Red Sea ports to avoid the blocked Hormuz Strait at the entrance to the Gulf, the authority said.

The purchase involved hard wheat with 12.5% protein content , the agency said.

Offered origins included the European Union, the Black Sea region, North America, South America and Australia, with sellers given the option to select the origin supplied, GFSA Chief Executive Ahmad Al-Fares said in a statement.

The GFSA said the following purchases were made all in dollars a ton cost and freight (C&F) included with the trading houses making sales and the port and arrival period in Saudi Arabia:

DUBAI/HAMBURG, April 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's main state buying agency, the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), said on Monday that it bought 985,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender.

This was above the 710,000 tons from sought in the tender. Delivery is scheduled between June and August, the authority said.

Shipment was limited to Saudi Arabian Red Sea ports to avoid the blocked Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf.

The purchase involved hard wheat with 12.5% protein content, the agency said.

Offered origins included the European Union, the Black Sea region, North America, South America and Australia, with sellers given the option to select the origin supplied, GFSA Chief Executive Ahmad Al-Fares said in a statement.

Traders said they expected the Black Sea region to be a major supply source, including Russia, Ukraine and Romania, with some wheat possible from the west of the EU for the August arrival period.

The GFSA said the following purchases were made, all in dollars per ton cost and freight (C&F), plus the trading houses making sales and the port and arrival period in Saudi Arabia.

Port

Quantity (tons)

Seller

Price ($/t C&F)

Arrival

Jeddah

60,000

Cargill

275.96

June 15 - 30

Jeddah

60,000

Louis Dreyfus

277.54

July 1 - 15

Jeddah

65,000

Bunge

274.33

August 1 - 15

Jeddah

60,000

Olam

275.73

August 1 - 15

Jeddah

65,000

Bunge

274.33

August 15 - 31

Jeddah

60,000

Olam

275.73

August 15 - 31

Yanbu

60,000

Louis Dreyfus

277.54

June 15 - 30

Yanbu

65,000

Bunge

278.33

June 15 - 30

Yanbu

65,000

Bunge

275.33

July 15 - 31

Yanbu

65,000

Bunge

275.33

August 1 - 15

Yanbu

65,000

Bunge

276.83

August 1 - 15

Yanbu

60,000

Olam

276.45

August 1 - 15

Yanbu

65,000

Bunge

273.33

August 15 - 31

Yanbu

60,000

Cargill

275.93

August 15 - 31

Jizan

55,000

Olam

285.00

July 15 - 31

Jizan

55,000

Olam

280.95

August 15 - 31

In its last reported wheat tender on March 2, Saudi Arabia purchased about 794,000 tons of wheat.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elimam in Dubai and Michael Hogan in Hamburg, Editing by Louise Heavens and David Goodman)

    
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

In its last reported wheat tender on March 2, Saudi Arabia purchased around 794,000 tons of wheat.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elimam in Dubai and Michael Hogan in Hamburg, Editing by Louise Heavens)