The 16th century was the golden age for Sicily's wheat exports.

One of the main effects of the compromise reached today would be on subsidized European wheat exports.

However, wheat exports were much stronger than the previous year.

But the war was good for the economy, supporting arms manufacture, the railways, and especially agriculture's huge wheat exports.

The Agriculture Department estimated earlier this month that wheat exports would total 1.5 billion bushels in the 1988-1989 crop year.

Additional agreements on wheat export were concluded in 1953, 1956, 1959 and 1962.

The drought years of 1928, 1931 through 1934 and again in 1937 hit hard following the recession and the lowered demand for wheat exports.

While the union placed a tax on its latest wheat export, traders said that could change soon.

Mr. Tracy said wheat exports, worth about $5 billion a year, accounted for half of the nation's crop.

After 1988, wheat exports declined, falling below the levels that prevailed before the program started, trade records show.