Iraq issues tender for at least 100,000 T wheat

Published: 20 Oct 2009 19:17:24 PST

wheat The Iraqi Grain Board issued a tender on Tuesday to purchase at least 100,000 tonnes of wheat from any origin, the board said in a statement.

Bids are due by October 26 and must be valid until November 1, according to the statement posted on the board's website.

Amounts requested in grain tenders in Iraq, one of the world's leading importers of wheat and rice, are nominal and the government often buys more than originally requested.

Most of Iraq's grain imports go towards a public rations programme, one of the world's largest. The oil-reliant government is facing a budget crunch due to crude prices.

Earlier this month, the board's acting director said the state-run company had secured a $500 million loan to cover grain purchases and that it would continue to buy wheat for 2010 due to good prices.

Iraq's own wheat crop has been hit by a multi-year drought.