The Monte Vista journal., 1915-12-11
MARKETING THEP0TATOCR0P

I ICii DcICtHl.
However, the prices of potatoes
thls year were not based on the Gov
ernment crop estimate, but in the
early part of the season the quota
tlons were cut to an unprofitable
price to our growers by the car LOT
distributors of produce who reside
in the cities throughout the buying
districts. These distributors are the
wholesale Produce Firms and the
Produce Brokers, and in all cities
there are several of these car lot deal
, ers who are continually and everlast-
lhgly hammering the prices, each and
every one doing everything in their
power to underbuy the other. This
competitive buying weakens the for
eign markets and finally forces the
growers to accept reduced prices.
l want to emphasize this condition
in the strongest terms possible, and
impress upon the minds of the grow
ers of farm produce the absolute ne
cessity of being represented in for
elgn markets during the shipping
season, and to have a strong friend
ly selling organiza ton that will OBJ
tain profitable prices for the grower,
and not permit these buyers of farm
produce to regulate the prices as
they did during the early shipments
this year.
The soil being the foundation of
all prosperity, is reason enough to
entitle the grower of farm products
to profitable price for the crops he
produces, and the farmer should
price his crops to all buyers at prices
that will show him a profit on his
investment AMI labor, Just the same
as the manufacturer, jobber or re-
tail merchant handles his business
Simply because the custom has been
different during the past, does not
imply that the farmer must take
the buyers offer for his products
during all the years to come.
The growers should be paid prof
table price for the crops he produces
on his farm, and the grower should
be the man to figure the profit in
stead of the man who buys the pro-
ducts.
After being in close touch with
the foreign potato markets during
the past shipping season, I am con-
vinced that now is the opportune
time for the potato growers of the
San Luis Valley to change their
system of doing business. You
farmers are the only sellers of mer-
chandise in the business world today
wo do not put a price on your own
goods, but by proper management
you can change this system. This
of course cannot be accomplished by
one or a dozen of the producers, but
if the grower of potatoes will join
the potato growers association and
work enthusiastically for the best in
terests of the organization, the high
est market prices can be received for
the crop and an increased acreage
raised every year. Our present SELL
ing organization even at this early
date can handle the entire crop at
prices which will be quoted by the
Association itself, instead of by the
firms who want to purchase potatoes
at Improbable prices to the growers.
1t is my opinion that the greatest
success can be attained in the mark
citing of the potato crop if every men,
Der of the Union will agree to sell his
with the understanding that all re-
ceive exactly the same price per hun
dred pounds for their potatoes.
By such plan the representative
who will be in the outside markets
will wire the Union every day ad-
vising the price to quote on pota-
toes. Every encouragement will be
offered buyers to come to this mark
ct for their spuds, and when they dc
come there will be but one place to
make their purchases and that from
the Office of the Farmers Union
Sales will be made only in car lots
on track at Monte Vista, and the
price based on the foreign markets
which will give the growers the tor
price for their crop and at the same