HAMBURG: The lowest price offer in the tender from Iraq’s state grains buyer to purchase at least 30,000 tonnes of rice which closed on Wednesday was $448 a tonne c&f free out for rice to be sourced from Pakistan, traders said.

No decision about a purchase was believed to have been made in the tender. Offers have to remain valid up to Dec 25.

Lowest offer for rice from Thailand was $451.40 a tonne c&f free out. One offer was made for rice from the United States of $671 a tonne c&f free out. A single offer was also made from Argentina at $569 a tonne c&f free out. Rice sourced optionally from Argentina or Uruguay was also offered at $591 a tonne c&f free out. No offers were reported for rice from India or Vietnam.

Iraq had made no purchase in its last reported rice tender, also for 30,000 tonnes, on Dec 12, in which Indian rice had been offered at the lowest price of $305 a tonne c&f free out.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2017