EXHIBIT 99.1

CONTACT:                                                         RELEASE:
KAREN M.L. WHELAN                                                APRIL 14, 1999
Phone:    (804) 359-9311                                         IMMEDIATE
Fax:      (804) 254-3594

     UNIVERSAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE POLISH OPERATION

RICHMOND, VA,   April 14, 1999 / PRNEWSWIRE

                Henry H.  Harrell,  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of
Universal  Corporation,  announced  today that a  subsidiary  of  Universal  has
reached a preliminary  agreement with Zaklady  Premyslowy Tytoniu w Radiomu S.A.
("ZPTR") to acquire its tobacco  purchasing and processing  operations  based in
Jedrzejow,  Poland.  ZPTR is a subsidiary  of SEITA,  an  international  tobacco
manufacturing and marketing company headquartered in France.

               The operations to be acquired employ 170 people and will purchase
and  process  tobaccos  for the  domestic  market in Poland,  one of the largest
markets in Central Europe.  The agreement also provides for the long-term supply
of tobaccos to ZPTR.  The  transaction  is  expected  to be  finalized  upon the
approval of the Polish government.

                Mr. Harrell said,  "Universal has been operating in Poland
for some time and is strongly committed to the development of the Polish
tobacco market. We welcome this opportunity to grow in this important
market and to enhance our relationship with SEITA."

                Universal  Corporation is a diversified  company with operations
in tobacco,  lumber, and  agri-products.  Its gross revenues for the fiscal year
that ended on June 30, 1998, were approximately $4.3 billion.


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