Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-26
MANY POTATOES
ARE in STORAGE
Prices Probably Will Not In
crease During Early
Spring

The potato marke citing situation
at this moment appears to be seri-
Gus, according to a statement just
issued by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. The total pro-
duction in 1917-is estimated to have
been 42,536,000 bushels, or the
largest crop ever produced in the
United States. Notwithstanding this
fact, prices from the time of dig
ging to the present have ruled high
er than in any previous year of
which we have record with the ex-
ceptiop of last year, when the crop
was aDnofmally short,
The Department of Agriculture
has been able to compute the move
ment cl the present crop with more
accuracy than has ever been possi-
BILE before and from all the infor-
nation available it appears that not
more than oTie-third of the market
able surplus of the crop of 1917 has
beer moved up to December 81. In
other words, there remained to be
ment since January 1 has not been
the 'crop of 1917 for every car mar
keted up to that time. The move
men tsince January 1 has not been
poticeably accelerated. The pres
ent reserve stocks are so widely dis
tributed that the transportation
problems presented do not appear
to be acute Generally speaking,
more potatoes could be moved if Of
fered for shipment.
The situation demands enlight-
ened, patriotic and vigorous action
on the part of all concerned in the
movement of this crop. Unless
large dealers promptly move the
stocks on hand in order to speed up
dIstributionNan bring the large re-
serve still on the farms into the
channels of trade, large wastage of
the cron appears certain to result
later in the season. 1t is believed
that dealers will in the end find it
wiser tt moveI present holdings
without profit or even at some loss
rather than to risk destructive vast
age later in tn eseason. At the same
time, present retail prices must be
somewhat reduced if potato con-
sumption is to be stimulated as il
should be
Prices at point of production
have generally declined since dig
ging began and many dealers are
reputed 70 hold large stocks pur-
chased at prices higher than those
now prevailing. This may account
in some measure for the present
of the hea' lest producing areas and
slow rate of movement out of some
the abnormally wide difference be-
tween present wholesale prices tc
the grower and retail price to the
consumer.
Under existing and prospective
conditions no material quantity oi
potatoes can be exported or con-
verted into nonperishable products
this season. The crop can be car
Fied ove.. 1t must be consumed OF
wasted. The food situation through
out the world demands that it be
consumed effectively 10 relieve the
existing strain on the supply OF
cereals. 1t is the one great food
resource of the world upon which
there is now danger of a heavy loss
and the department is of the opin-
ion thar tho situation demands that
farmers sell freely; that the larger
dealers move their stocks rapidly;
and that the retailer content him
self with the smallest possible mar
gin of profit, realizing that he is
now the most important factor in
speeding up potato consumption,