KIEV (March 18 2003) - Ukraine, which harvested 3.3 million tonnes ofsunflower seeds in 2002, saw its sunseed exports fall to 24,800 tonnes inFebruary from 50,000 tonnes in January, producers said on Monday.

The Ukrainian national vegetable oil producers' association, Ukroliyaprom,said in a statement Ukraine had supplied sunseed mostly to Spain, Israeland Georgia.

Agriculture officials have said Ukraine, which produces around 10 percentof global output and is among the world's leading sunseed producers, plansto increase exports to up to 250,000 tonnes in the 2002-03 season from81,000 tonnes a season ago.- Reuters