Egypt's main official wheat buyer said on Thursday it had bought 345,000 tonnes of US, Argentine and French wheat for shipment February 1-15. The official from Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) gave Reuters the following details about the purchase. GASC said on Wednesday it was seeking offers for 30,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes of wheat from the United States, France, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Russia and Syria.

Egypt consumes between 6 and 7 million tonnes of imported wheat a year.

Agriculture Minister Ahmed el-Laithi, who took office in July, has said he wants to reduce wheat imports by persuading more farmers to plant the grain.

Copyright Reuters, 2005