ABU DHABI/HAMBURG - Saudi Arabia bought 740,000 tonnes of hard wheat in an international tender which closed on Friday, the country’s state wheat buying agency Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organisation (GSFMO) said on Monday. The tender had been for wheat with 12.5 percent protein content. The seller has the choice of supplying wheat from the European Union, North America, South America, Australia or Canada, GSFMO Director General Ahmad A. Al-Fares said. “I think the Saudi purchase is likely to be sourced in the European Union,” one European trader said. “The Baltic States and Poland will be the price favourites for the December and January shipment periods, followed by Germany for February,” he said. The trader said Russian wheat would not meet Saudi Arabia’s specifications on bug (insect) damage, while other origins were too expensive. The wheat was purchased in 12 consignments for shipments to the ports of Jeddah and Dammam, he said. Below are details of the purchase in dollars per tonne, cost and freight (C&F), with shipment period in 2015 in brackets: Jeddah Port *65,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $214.96 C&F (Dec. 1-10) *65,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $217.10 C&F (Dec. 10-20) *65,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $217.20 C&F (Dec. 20-30) *65,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $217.96 C&F (Jan. 1-10) *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from Louis Dreyfus at $220.44 C&F (Jan. 10-20) *65,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $223.15 C&F (Jan. 20-30) *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from Invivo at $224.80 C&F (Feb. 1-10) *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from Louis Dreyfus at $223.14 C&F (Feb. 10-20) *55,000 tones hard wheat from Cerealis at $226.16 C&F (Feb. 20-29) Dammam Port : *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $220.71 C&F (Dec. 1-10) *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from ADM at $222.95 C&F (Dec. 25-Jan. 5) *60,000 tonnes hard wheat from Invivo at $222.60 C&F (Jan. 20-30)