DUBAI/HAMBURG  - Saudi Arabia's state grain buyer SAGO said on Monday it had bought 860,000 tonnes of wheat at its latest international purchasing tender.

The wheat, which is of 12.5% protein, was purchased at an average price of $277.53 a tonne, SAGO said in a statement.

The grain is for delivery from February to March 2021.

Origins offered were the European Union, Black Sea region, North America (excluding Canada), South America and Australia with the seller having the option of selecting the origin supplied, SAGO governor Ahmad Al-Fares said in a statement.

The purchase comprises shipments to the ports of Jeddah and Dammam, he said.

These purchases are in dollars a tonne c&f with delivery period in 2021 in brackets:

Jeddah: - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $272.68 C&F (Feb. 1-10) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $274.49 C&F (Feb. 10-20) - 65,000 tonnes from Glencore at $275.98 C&F (Feb. 20-28) - 65,000 tonnes from Glencore at $277.17 C&F (Feb. 20-28) - 60,000 tonnes from Olam at $278.55 C&F (March 1-10) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $273.68 C&F (March 10-20) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $275.69 C&F (March 20-30) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $278.89 C&F (March 20-30)

Dammam: - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $273.68 C&F (Feb. 1-10) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $275.18 C&F (Feb. 20-28) - 60,000 tonnes from Casillo at $277.89 C&F (March 1-10) - 65,000 tonnes from Cargill at $283.64 C&F (March 1-10) - 60,000 tonnes from CBH at $283.35 C&F (March 20-30) - 65,000 tonnes from Glencore at $283.67 C&F (March 20-30)

“I think a large volume of the purchase, perhaps around half, will be sourced from the European Union and a large part from Australia,” one European trader said.

In its last wheat tender on Sept. 14, SAGO bought 745,000 tonnes.

Saudi Arabia said in August it would relax bug damage quality requirements in wheat tenders in a move which permitted wheat from the Black Sea region including Russia to be offered. 

(Reporting By Maha El Dahan and Michael Hogan; Editing by Alex Richardson and Edmund Blair) ((Maha.Dahan@thomsonreuters.com; + 9712 4082101; Reuters Messaging: maha.dahan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))