European traders reported on Monday that the Iranian state-owned animal feeding importer SLAL had issued an international bid to purchase at least 120,000 metric tonnes of animal feed barley.

They said that the deadline for submitting price offers to the tender is Tuesday 24th September.

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

The shipment is expected to be delivered in November and October.

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. (Reporting and editing by Rashmi aich, with Michael Hogan)

(source: Reuters)