July 29, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 13, 1428

DHAKA, July 28: Bangladesh issued a tender on Saturday to import 112,000 tons of wheat by early October to meet domestic demand, food officials said. The tender will close on August 27, with validity up to September 16. The shipment should be within 30 days from the date of signing of the contract, the officials said.The wheat will be delivered either to the Chittagong or Mongla ports, they said.

The tender was called after the Food and Disaster Management ministry cancelled another to import 212,000 tons of wheat on July 17 due to high prices. The tender was floated in early June.

“We have cancelled the tender due to the high price quoted by a lone bidder,” Molla Waheeduzzaman, a senior official of the ministry told Reuters.

Dhaka-based Bulk Trade International, the lone bidder in the tender, made the offer at $373 per ton, which was high and not acceptable, he said.

In June, Bangladesh floated a separate tender to import 200,000 tons of non-basmati parboiled rice.

Indian firm, LMJ International Limited, made the lowest offer at $349.90 per ton to supply only 50,000 tons of rice. The tender closed on July 17.

The government is likely to announce its decision on the offer of LMJ International on August 5, Waheeduzzaman said.—Reuters