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

                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              AUG-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 SEP-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   AUG-31-1999
<CASH>                                           7,552
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  148,401
<ALLOWANCES>                                       475
<INVENTORY>                                     47,727
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               217,543
<PP&E>                                          96,944
<DEPRECIATION>                                  31,778
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 295,758
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          172,040
<BONDS>                                         20,819
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                        107
<COMMON>                                         3,866
<OTHER-SE>                                      85,431
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   295,758
<SALES>                                        260,465
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               260,465
<CGS>                                          185,314
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   57,377
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 3,272
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               3,502
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 11,000
<INCOME-TAX>                                     3,427
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              7,573
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     7,477
<EPS-BASIC>                                     0.19
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.18