The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-07-11
BERRY MEN SHOULD
STICK SAYS FLETCHER
Had the Growers Been Dis0rgan-
lied this Year Results would
Have Been Disastrous

Sales Manager H. G. Fletcher, of
the Northwestern Fruit Exchange,
who marketed the 1918 strawberry
crop for the Kennewick- Richland Mar
keting Union, has written the follow
ing review Of the seasons operations
to F. H. Krug, local manager of the
Union:
It seems needless to set down in
detail the numerous difficulties which
were encountered. Everyone is thoroly
familiar with the unprecedented wea-
Their conditions, delayed harvest and
the competition which existed. Also,
as many growers directly connected
with the deal informed me that the
quality, size and condition of the ber-
ries was below standard, ! think we
can safely accept such statements as
authentic. Not only were the Kenne-
wick berries unusually late in matur-
ing, but such was also the case in the
California producing sections, result
ing in the direct and serious COMPETE
ton between the two districts, thru
out practically the entire movement.
The peak of the California shipments
was not reached until after the Ken
newicks had been moving for over a
week and CALIFORNIA; were in plenti-
full supply until the Kennewick sea-
son was practically closed. The price
at which CALIFORNIA; could be pur-
chased ranged from $1.50 to $1.75 for
twenty-pint crates and during your
heaviest shipments the former price
prevailed. This competition in price
and quality alone would not have been
such a serious obstacle had weather
conditions in the markets been con-
ducive to berry consumption, but cold
weather prevailed in all consuming
markets. Snow storms in Montana
and Saskatchewan were not uncom-
mon and it was decidedly uphill work
trying to induce The public to use
Strawberries VIXEN the ground was
covered with blanket Of snow and
fruit lad to be carried under ever
coatc to prevent freezing.
In addition to competition from
California, the trade in Montana and
other extreme western markets, even
including Spokane, brought in car af-
ter car of Missouri and Tennessee
berries which arrived in prime condi-
ton and could be sold at prices which
we did not feel Justified in meeting.
Also, before the season closed the
White Salmon, Hood River and Olalla
crops were moving, which only added
to the difficulties of maintaining val
ues in Kennewicks.
During the Kennewick season, ber-
ries were moving from practically all
of the important producing districts
and finding market Mt reduced prices
In the territory wchi usually depended
exclusively on Kennewicks. In the
face of such conditions the question
would naturally arise as to what out
let was still available which permitted
us to secure the results which did OBJ
tain on this season shipments. The
answer is the wonderful carrying quail
tiles of these berries which evidently
had been undiscovered in previous
seasons and which permitted ship
ment into eastern markets where wea-
Their conditions had a stimulating eff
feet on the demands for this fruit; al
so the excellent inspection service
provided by yourself and associates
which upheld the policy of compelling
the members to conform strictly to
the grading rules as adopted by your
board of directors, resulting in fair
and equitable treatment of all MEM
bers and placing each on a parity with
4 o;~oo~o1,v ho1sax,o hot