March 20, 2007

Australia's AWB buys Pakistani wheat for shipment to Asia
 

Australian agribusiness AWB's Geneva-based grain trading office has bought small quantities of Pakistani wheat in bags and containers for export to several Asian markets, company spokesman Peter McBride said Tuesday.

This trade is being conducted to service customers' requirements this year as a collective export sales pool operated by AWB has only limited tonnages of Australian wheat available after a severe drought in 2006 slashed domestic production and export availability, he said.

AWB is endeavoring to service core long-term customers in premium markets such as Japan, South Korea and Sudan with the limited wheat available from the export wheat, he said in a statement.

AWB's activities are not unusual. As a global grain trading concern, its Geneva office trades more than 2 million tonnes of grain a year.

Other details of the company's wheat purchases in Pakistan were not available.