The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-11-16
Marketing Of | erishables
Reprinted from the Weekly News Letter of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

vegetables wEicil will remain in good
condition for long periods, and so will
stand better than the usual varieties
the delays and rough landings to
which shipments may be subjected be-
fore reaching the consumer. The pro-
Queer may also pick, grade and pack
his products with especial care, MAX
ing them in this way more resistant
to adverse conditions.
Studies also are being made of ter
minal and transfer facilities of rail-
roads as they affect economy of time,
labor, and cost in the movement of
perishables. In general, the Office is
seeking to familiarfze shippers with
the problems of transportation corr
panies in regard to the problems of
shippers to the end that both may CO.
operate for efficiency.
Supply of and Demand for Perishables
The losses of perishable fruits and
vegetables are not due solely to the
mechanical operations of marketing
handling at producing points, on cars
and at the market. The intangible ma
chincry of supply and demand causes
the heaviest losses, bringing about vio-
lent price fluctuations and producing
gluts during which carload after car
load of products, held until spoiled,
must be thrown away at dead loss.
The term "glut" may be defined as
any supply of a perishable commodity
on market more than sufficient to
meet the demand at price which will
pay the bare cost of production and
marketing. With high priced winter
grown vegetables, a glut may occur
when relatively small supply is in
the market. The more usual glut, how
ever, is that which physically swamps
the market at the height of the sea-
son. Such gluts as the latter may be
of either of two types, caused in the
one case by over-pro9rction md in the
other by un6er-distribution. In the
former case, tremendous crcps actu-
ally Great a supply that the demand of
all existing markets in reach cannot
absorb; in the latter, an excessive sup
ply is dumped in a single market or
group of markets, while other market
points to which the produce might
have been sent are insufficiently pro-
vided.
Whether anything can be done to
better glutted market conditions and
minimumize the losses to producers
and dealers will depend on the type of
glut existing. Some phases of the
problems go back to production and
preparation for shipment. One fact
which the Investigations of the Office
of Markets and Rural Organization
have emphasized is that even during
severe general gluts of commodity,
strictly first-class lots often may be
sold profitably. Indications that such
gluts are impending, therefore, should
be signal for the producer to grade
more strictly than ever.
The gluts due to faulty distribution
may be prevented when it is possible
for shippers to keep accurately in
formed as to supplies at various mar
ket points. Even when such gluts have
occurred, it may be possible to bette,
conditions by finding nearby points
which may absorb some of the surplus
and by sending as many cars as pos.
sible from tie over-supp,icd markets
to suci localities.
BY surveys in producing areas anG
market centers, the Office of Markets
and Rural Organization has gathered
as many data as possible in regard tx
supply and demand for perishables
and, by making the results of its in
vestigations public, hopes better tx
correlate the two primary forces il
marketing. The normal consuming
power of numerous markets for Ger
tain products has been ascertainet
and the data have been furnished tx
shippers with excellent results. Thi.
work will be extended. At the sam,
time observations have been made O
tn market surplus of produce in Ger
tain shipping areas. The most direc
work of the Office toward the solution
of problems relating to supply an,
demand of perishables, however, ha
been thru its market news service
which has already been discussed.