Westlake Village, CA - February 22, 2000

Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE: DOL) declared its regular quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share. The dividend is payable on March 21, 2000, to shareholders of record on March 8, 2000.

Dole Food Company, Inc., with 1999 revenues of $5.1 billion, is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, vegetables and fresh-cut flowers, and markets a growing line of packaged foods.