The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-09-03
MOVING FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES
To The MARKET
Wholesale Distribution of Com
modities Often Seems to
Take CirGuit0us Route.
CAUSES or LOSS AND WASTE
Economic Conditions Do Not Court
Market arasites-Consumers De-
nand More Elaborate and
Efficient Service-ProbIem
Is Difficult One.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural
Washington, D. C-The present
abundance of fresh vegetables and
fruits brings with it the perennial
necessity for their rapid, economical
distribution and for encouraging a
generous and steady consumption.
The machinery for moving these food
products is complex, and retail gro
GERS are often accused of not follow
ing closely the wholesale market quo
ltations; that in times of glutted mar
Ikets they do not cut prices severely
and aid in a rapid movement from
producer to consumer. But the re-
sponsibility for slow and uneconomic
movement into coDsumptive channels
lis difficult to trace. The large class
of food distributors known as mid
Idlemen" are often accused of levying,
arbitrarily, heavy tribute on all food
stuffs passing from the producer to
the consumer The attention of the
public has been frequently directed
to increased costs of products rather
than service rendered. The new
United States Department of Agricul-
fture Bulletin, No. 267 Methods of
Wholesale Distribution of Fruits and
Vegetables on Large Markets." does
not indict the "middlemen" as a class,
although it points out some of the
n Ac Of
fact, says the department special
lists, when discussing the present mar
keting organization, economic laws
would not permit the long-continued
existence of a marketing agency which
was solely a parasite.
/ Production increases.
! Several important factors have con-
tributed to the establishment of many
middlemen as necessary agents in the
present system of marketing. Pro
iduction during the last decade has in
creased greatly, and improved meth
DDS and facilities for handling the in
crease have. been introduced. Keep
ing pace with increased production
has come the demand of consumers
for more elaborate and efficient serv-
ice. Seldom is the fact considered
that service can become a very ex-
pensive luxury With the widening of
the distance between the city and the
sources of its fruit and vegetable sup
plies there has arisen the necessity
for special agencies to meet the
changed conditions.
The present distributive machinery,
with all its strong points and it's weak
nesses, has been created of necessity,
and it has weathered the storm of
much adverse criticism. Every part
OF the country is now enjoying the
perishable products of the most re-
mote districts. Any readjustment of
present market practices must be
based upon the fact that some agency
must continue to perform the func-
lions of the prCsent-day middleman.
The problems involved in handling
goods through a large market differ
greatly from those of production. U.s.
ually one man or one firm cannot han
die both production and distribution
and succeed at both The vast vol
ume of business transacted at large
market centers makes necessary some
special agencies which can devote all
their energies to distribution. Espe-
cia1ly does the machinery for efficient
marketing become necessary when
7perishable goods are to be handled,
Commodities Of this sort must be
moved rapidly, must be distributed
evenly, and from their nature permit
of no weakness in distributive ma
chinery, If they are to be sold at a
profit
Causes Of Losses and Wastes.
With the perishable nature of a
large part of the fruits and vegetables
marketed there must be some loss.
This often totals higher than the
farmer realizes. For instance, accord
ing to the departments market spe.
ciaiists, the loss on such commodities
as Strawberries, peaches and grapes
sometimes amounts to so or 40 per
cent before they reach the hands oil
the retail trade. Losses due to spoil
ing may be the result of the shipper 6
sending overripe or diseased fruit, OF
Mailing to give proper attention to
packing, to loading, or to bracing the
packages in the car. Sometimes the
railroad is at fault Delay in transit
improper ventilation or refrigeration
or unnecessarily rough handling Of
cars may contribute to rapid deteriora
'Eion of the shipment on arrival.
The lack of proper refrigeration ia
cilities at distributing centers is
cause of much loss. When produce
moves slowly, there is often mucF
Spoilage before complete sales can b,
made. Rough handling during unload
ing or carting is another importan
cause of loss. AS a matter OF fact
the opportunities for losses due to tn,
spelling of commodities are so man
1old that it is impossible to enter int,
a complete discussion of them