The Spanish groups AZUCARERA EBRO (rice and sugar ; turnover of Peseta 101 billion in 1999 with 1,658 employees) and PULEVA (dairy products ; turnover of Peseta 259 billion in 1999 with 945 employees) have announced a merger programme, where PULEVA will be taken over by AZUCARERA EBRO, to give rise to the leading agrifoodstuffs group in Spain, with an accumulated turnover of more than Euro 2.5 billion