September 20, 2004

Iraq Buys 500,000 MT US Hard Wheat

Iraq bought 500,000 metric tons of hard milling wheat from the U.S., a senior official at the Iraqi trade ministry said Friday.
 
The official named the U.S. supplier of hard wheat to Iraq as Cargill.
 
The Iraqi trade ministry said Thursday it had bought 800,000 tons of hard wheat from the Australian Wheat Board. The AWB wouldn't comment on the purchase.
 
In July the Iraqi Grain Board announced a tender to buy 100,000 tons of hard wheat.
 
Iraq needs to buy three million tons of wheat in 2005 because of a poor 2004 harvest. Iraq produces between 750,000 and one million tons of wheat a year.
 
In May Iraq bought 100,000 tons of hard wheat from Cargill and a similar quantity from the AWB.