Saudi Arabia buys 985,000 tons of wheat in tender, GFSA says

DUBAI/HAMBURG, April 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's main state buying agency, the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), said on Monday that it bought 985,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender.

This was above the 710,000 tons from sought in the tender. Delivery is scheduled between June and August, the authority said.

Shipment was limited to Saudi Arabian Red Sea ports to avoid the blocked Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf.

The purchase involved hard wheat with 12.5% protein content, the agency said.

Offered origins included the European Union, the Black Sea region, North America, South America and Australia, with sellers given the option to select the origin supplied, GFSA Chief Executive Ahmad Al-Fares said in a statement.

Traders said they expected the Black Sea region to be a major supply source, including Russia, Ukraine and Romania, with some wheat possible from the west of the EU for the August arrival period.

The GFSA said the following purchases were made, all in dollars per ton cost and freight (C&F), plus the trading houses making sales and the port and arrival period in Saudi Arabia.

In its last reported wheat tender on March 2, Saudi Arabia purchased about 794,000 tons of wheat.