<ARTICLE>                                                                      5
<CIK>                                                                 0000902277
<NAME>                                               Delta and Pine Land Company
<MULTIPLIER>                                                               1,000


                                                                          

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<PERIOD-START>                                                       SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                                         FEB-29-2000
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<EPS-DILUTED>                                                               1.22