Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer, has bought 300,000 tons of French and Romanian wheat for 1-10 December shipment on a free on board bases, the main government wheat buyer said on Wednesday. Nomani Nomani, Vice Chairman of the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), gave the following breakdown of the purchases: — 60,000 tons of French wheat from Toepfer at US$346.93/ton with freight costs of $14.30 — 60,000 tons of French wheat from Louis Dreyfus at $347.36/ton with freight costs of $13.87 — 60,000 tons of French wheat from Cargill at $347.36/ton with freight costs of $15.87 with $2 deduction for shipping from 2 ports — 60,000 tons of Romanian wheat from Toepfer at $349.93/ton with freight costs of $11.30 — 60,000 tons of Romanian wheat from Ameropa at $349.93/ton with freight costs of $11.30 In its last international wheat purchase on 13 September, GASC bought a total of 235,000 tons of wheat from Russia, Ukraine and France for 21-30 November shipment. In its previous seven tenders, the agency's first since April, GASC has purchased 1.02 million tons of Russian wheat, 280,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat, 240,000 tons of Romanian wheat and 180,000 tons of French wheat. GASC has scrambled for supplies amid concerns that drought-hit Black Sea nations such as Ukraine and Russia, Egypt's top supplier, may have little to offer later this year. Growing worries about dry weather reducing wheat output in Australia, the world's No. 2 exporter, have added to concerns among import-dependant nations about shrinking global supplies. During the 2011/12 fiscal year, GASC's purchases were dominated by Black Sea origin wheat. GASC purchased 3.24 million tons of Russian wheat, 180,000 tons of Romanian wheat, 360,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat, 60,000 tons of Russian, Ukraine or Kazakh wheat at the seller's option and 60,000 tons of Russian or Kazakh wheat at the seller's option during the 2011/12 fiscal year. It also bought 300,000 tons of French wheat and 300,000 tons of Argentine wheat as well as 530,000 tons of US soft red winter wheat and 60,000 tons of Canadian wheat.
