I have a csv file which I read using the following function: csvData <- read.csv(file="pf.csv", colClasses=c(NA, NA,"NULL",NA,"NULL",NA,"NULL","NULL","NULL")) dimnames(csvData)[[2]]<- c("portfolio", "date", "ticker", "quantity") It reads all lines from that file. But i want to skip some rows from reading. The row should not read if the value of the ticker -column is: ABT or ADCT . Is it possible? sample of my csv file is as follows: RUS1000,01/29/1999,21st Centy Ins Group,TW.Z,90130N10,72096,1527.534,0.01,21.188 RUS1000,01/29/1999,3com Corp,COMS,88553510,358764,16861.908,0.16,47.000 RUS1000,01