After two months of wheat shipment delays from Canada, Japan, Asia’s second biggest wheat buyer which relies on imports for 90% of its supplies, is increasing wheat purchases from the U.S. Japan’s wheat reserves can only meet 2.3 months of consumption leading Tokyo to have to buy 46,849 metric tons of U.S. hard wheat to ensure supply. Logistical bottlenecks in Canada have been problematic since the country harvested multiple bumper crops in 2013 and are only expected to become worse through March because of heavy snow and avalanches. Currently there are 51,000 grain car orders left unfulfilled by railways and there is approximately 4.6 million tons of grain left on the Canadian prairies waiting for transport to ports.
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