The past season has been 11 abnormal 11 - how do we define a 11 normal" one? - but abnormal in the sense that significant shifts in trading patterns have occurred. Most striking has been the setback to the Soviet 1989/ 90 crop, hard hit by frost at planting time, together with Pakistan's huge expansion of domestic spindleage. Neither country, therefore, could be looked to for its customary export supply. India's emergence as a considerable provider to world markets was thus fortunate since her medium and short staples proved idea 1 rep 1 a cements for the missing Pakistan styles. And China, the most unpredictable of all, continued to buy