/ 23 February 1999

BUMPER SUNFLOWER CROP

A BUMPER crop of 905000 tons of sunflower seeds is expected this season, the National Crop Estimates Committee said on Monday. In its first official estimate for the 1999/2000 season, the crops body said 828000 hectares have been planted compared to 511000 hectares last season. Last year’s crop was 562000 tons.