Saudi Arabia buys 315,000 tonnes of hard wheat

Saudi Arabia’s main state grain agency bought 315,000 tonnes of hard wheat in a tender, the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) said on Monday.

The wheat is for shipment during September, SAGO said in a statement.

The wheat purchased was of European, North American and Australian origin at the seller’s option, SAGO director Ahmad al-Fares said.

The tender had been for wheat with 12.5 per cent protein content.

The wheat was purchased in five consignments for shipments to the ports of Jeddah and Dammam, Fares said.

Of the total, 190,000 tonnes are for Jeddah port and 125,000 tonnes for Dammam.

“I think wheat from the Baltic Sea region is likely to be used to source the Jeddah shipments,” one European trader said. “This could include wheat from Germany, the Baltic States and Poland.”

“The Baltic region as a whole is looking price competitive for the quality Saudi Arabia requires.”