The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-07-24
FRUIT EXCHANGE HAS
OPENED LONDON BRANCH
Northwest Growers Marketing
Portland Firm Can Have Ad-
vantage of That

PORTLAND, Ore, July 20.--A
permanent branch office of the North
western Fruit Exchange was opened
in London on July 1. according to w.
F. Gwin general manager of the ex-
change, who has returned to Portland
after a two-months' trip to Europe.
we have always felt" said Mr..
Gwin. that the foreign market, while
valuable, is also dangerous. especially
to the uninitiated 1t is unfortuna te
how little real knowledge there is on
the part of growers and shippers II,
the northwest. of fruit trade condi-
tons in Europe. l have often heard
growers complain that they had
shipped cars to foreign brokers on
consignment, with roseate prospects
but disastrous results. Others have
complained of the manifold and un-
accountable handling charges of the
foreign receivers
Valley Growers Buncoed.
In still another instance, an Eng
lish operator made his appearance in
the Yakima valley, settled down for
seasons stay and offered to buy for
cash. He was welcomed, of course,
especially as he was not very par
ticular as to the price he paid. When
the season was over he left very
quietly owing the growers good
many thousand dollars, and one asso-
citation was reported to have lost over
$4,000 wiping out their entire sur
plus. These are only a few of the
snags that have been run up agans,
mostly due to ignorance of foreign
trade and foreign trade condition.
Up-to-Datc Information.
1T was in order to put the ex.
change in possession of complete, up
to-date information concerning actual
conditions that l made this trip, and
1T Is because trade conditions on the
other side are complicated and full
of pitfalls for the unwary that the
exchange found 1t advisable to estab-
lish an office of its own in London
This office was formally opened, on
July I, and is conveniently located ii,
the Country Life buildings, 17-2l
Iavistock street. w. c.. right across
the street from Covent Garden mar
ket.
Our London office will also con-
duct a development campaign
throughout Europe, as we'll as talk:
care of our established continental
| trade. with the exception of Germany
where the trade is so Important that
the exchange found Ii advisable to es-
tablish a separate direct general
agency.
Market u Limited One.
"On the whole, 1t is my impression
that the capacity of the foreign mar
ket, while important, Is being greatly
overestmated by most shippers. While
the market Is quite susceptible to dc,
velopment under intelligent treat.
ment, stin the fact must never be los,
sight of that at prices demanded by
ou' growers at the present time. plus
the heavy transportation COSTS the
fruit, by the time 1t reaches the re-
| taller, is an article of luxury which
the man in the street cannot afford
to buy and which only the wealth
classes consume. Therefore the mar
keI is necessarily narrow and com
paratively limited one
Early Cohgested. ai
| such market is always easy &c
congest and such a market always
fluctuates viciously and on the lower
leevls 1T frequently happens that prices
are made which are less than cost OF
production. Therefore, this foreign
market proposition is ONE which De.
culiarly calls for scientific ma mage.
ment and the most perfect facilities
Tor regulating the supplies and being
independent of the open market j
also is one which shows the crying
need for cooperation among the ship
pers of the northwest