Bangladesh to import 300,000 tonnes of wheat

DHAKA, July 12 (Reuters) Bangladesh will import 3,00,000 tonnes of wheat by October, an official of Food and Disaster Management Ministry said on Wednesday.

''We have asked the food department to begin tender procedures soon to import the entire quantity of wheat by October to meet domestic requirements,'' the official told Reuters.

Bangladesh produced about 9,50,000 tonnes of wheat in the year to June 30, 2006, well below a target of 1.32 million tonnes, agricultural officials said. The harvest in the year to June 30, 2005, was 1.09 million tones.

Bangladesh's annual wheat demand is 3.5 million tonnes. The shortfall is partly met by government and private sector imports, with the reminder covered by overseas grants.

REUTERS PV PM1501