PHOTO
HAMBURG, March 10 (Reuters) - Iraq's state grains buyer has not yet made a purchase in an international tender seeking least 30,000 tonnes of rice which closed this week, traders told Reuters on Friday.
"I think there is general belief the tender has been cancelled but there has been no official confirmation of a cancellation," one European trader said. "Nothing has been bought yet, but you cannot rule out a purchase in later talks despite offers passing their validity date."
The tender closed on March 5 with offers having to remain valid up to Thursday, March 9, they said.
The lowest price offered was $404.50 a tonne c&f free out made for 40,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand.
Iraq's last reported rice purchase was 30,000 tonnes from Argentina on Feb. 6. But this purchase was made several days after offers had expired on Jan. 29 in its previous international tender.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan; Editing by Alexander Smith) ((michael.j.hogan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 40 419 03 4275; Reuters Messaging: michael.hogan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
"I think there is general belief the tender has been cancelled but there has been no official confirmation of a cancellation," one European trader said. "Nothing has been bought yet, but you cannot rule out a purchase in later talks despite offers passing their validity date."
The tender closed on March 5 with offers having to remain valid up to Thursday, March 9, they said.
The lowest price offered was $404.50 a tonne c&f free out made for 40,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand.
Iraq's last reported rice purchase was 30,000 tonnes from Argentina on Feb. 6. But this purchase was made several days after offers had expired on Jan. 29 in its previous international tender.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan; Editing by Alexander Smith) ((michael.j.hogan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 40 419 03 4275; Reuters Messaging: michael.hogan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
