European traders reported on Tuesday that the Iranian state-owned animal feeding importer SLAL had issued an international bid to purchase at least 120,00 metric tons animal feed barley.

They said that the deadline for submitting price offers to the tender is on Wednesday, July 9.

The traders said that it was believed to be Iran's first major grain import tender since the recent conflict between Iran and Israel and the United States.

Barley is available from many sources, including the European Union (EU), Russia, Ukraine, or the Black Sea Region or Kazakhstan.

The shipment is expected to be delivered in August and September.

Traders said that the Western sanctions on Iran had caused payment problems for Iranian companies, which made it difficult to participate in recent Iranian tenders.

The West has not sanctioned food in Iran because of its nuclear program, but the sanctions have affected Iran's financial sector, causing complex and irregular payment arrangements.

Traders reported that Iran offered payment for the new tender through a bank located in Iraq, and another in Turkey. Michael Hogan reported. Mark Potter (Editing)

(source: Reuters)