HAMBURG  - Algeria's state grains agency OAIC has issued an international tender to buy milling wheat to be sourced from optional origins, European traders said on Monday.

The tender sought a nominal 50,000 tonnes but Algeria often buys considerably more in its tenders than the nominal volume sought.

The tender deadline is Oct. 23.

The wheat was sought for shipment in December. Argentine origin can be shipped in November.

Traders said there were no changes in Algeria's quality specifications which would mean Russian wheat could not be offered in the tender. Russian wheat cannot generally meet Algeria's requirement for low levels of bug (insect) damage.

Russian wheat exporters want to register with the Algerian authorities by the end of this year to start a process aimed at securing access to the Algerian wheat market, which is currently dominated by France, Russian authorities said on Oct. 1. 

Algeria is a vital wheat customer for France.

In its last reported wheat tender on Sept. 13, Algeria bought 630,000 tonnes of optional-origin wheat thought likely to be mainly sourced from France. 

(Reporting by Michael Hogan and Valerie Parent, editing by David Evans) ((michael.j.hogan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 40 419 03 4275; Reuters Messaging: michael.hogan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))