DuPont and DuPont Canada Announce DuPont Offer to Acquire All DuPont Canada Shares Not Currently Owned by DuPont for Cdn.$21.00 Per Share in Cash

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada, and WILMINGTON, Del., USA,  March 19, 2003  —  DuPont Canada Inc. (TSX: T.DUP.A) and DuPont (NYSE: DD) announced today that DuPont proposes to make an offer to acquire all of the class A common shares, Series 1 of DuPont Canada not owned by DuPont or its affiliates at a price of Cdn.$21.00 per common share in cash, or approximately Cdn.$1.4 billion in aggregate based on the current outstanding shares. The board of directors of DuPont Canada has recommended that the public shareholders accept the offer.

DuPont currently owns 76 percent of DuPont Canada stock.

DuPont's planned acquisition of the minority shares of DuPont Canada is part of DuPont's previously announced intent to separate DuPont Textiles & Interiors (DTI) by the end of 2003, market conditions permitting. DTI comprises a substantial portion of DuPont Canada's business and operations. DuPont continues to consider a wide range of separation options for DTI, including an Initial Public Offering, and believes the separation process is proceeding on schedule. If DuPont is not successful in acquiring 100 percent of the outstanding shares of DuPont Canada, DuPont intends to transfer its entire share ownership interest in DuPont Canada to DTI in connection with the DTI separation.

In May 2002 the board of directors of DuPont Canada established a special committee comprised of all of its outside directors to consider the implications of the DTI separation for DuPont Canada. The special committee directors – Wendy K. Dobson; L. Yves Fortier, C.C., Q.C.; Peter Janson; Honourable Gordon F. Osbaldeston, P.C., C.C.; and Hartley T. Richardson – retained McMillan Binch LLP to act as its legal counsel and TD Securities Inc. to act as its financial advisor. TD Securities established a valuation range of Cdn. $20.00 to Cdn.$23.00 per common share. TD Securities Inc. has determined that this offer is fair from a financial point of view to the public shareholders. The special committee unanimously recommended that the full board of directors recommend that the public shareholders accept the offer.

The offer will be made by way of an all-cash takeover bid to be governed by applicable securities laws. Offering materials and a directors' circular containing the recommendation of the DuPont Canada board of directors are expected to be mailed no later than April 17, 2003.

The takeover bid will be subject to customary terms and conditions, including a condition that at least 90 percent of the DuPont Canada shares not held by DuPont and its affiliates are tendered to the bid.

Merrill Lynch & Co. and BMO Nesbitt Burns are acting as financial advisors to DuPont in connection with this transaction.

DuPont Canada Inc. is a diversified science company that serves customers across Canada and in more than 40 other countries. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company serves global markets through offices and/or operations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, France, the United Kingdom and India. The company has 4,000 employees. For more information about DuPont Canada, please visit the company's website at http://www.ca.dupont.com.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by solving problems and creating solutions that make people's lives better, safer and easier. Operating in more than 70 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and services to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "projects," "indicates," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in DuPont's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance, and seasonality of sales of agricultural products.

03/19/03