El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-09-30
WHY ARE BUTTER AND EGGS TO BE
SKY HIGH? SUPPLIES ARE LARGER

IN connection with the recent stiff increase the prices
Of butter and eggs In the local markets. with the CON
sent Of the poe interpreting committee It IS interesting
TO note few figures published In the tood survey re-
port Of the bureau Of markets Of the United States de-
parent Of agriculture showing there are more eggs and
butter than last year. when prices were materially
lower The same applies to condensed milk, the price Of
which is also tending steadily higher apparently unn-
fuenoed by the law Of supply and demand,
Naturally local conditions in any part Of the country
might influence the price of local products That is to
say high feed prices prevailing in section might force
the price butter eggs higher than in other localities
But the local product usually IS very small part OF
the total product sold any community reached by rail-
roads Most Of the butter consumed in FL Paso shipped
Most Of the eggs used eggs All Of the con-
densed milk is shipped from distant condensaTies These
products distributed vide sections of the country
and sell at prices practically uniform everywhere. Con
densed milk prepared in the condensares at Phoenix
costs much in Phoenix stores IN FL Paso stores
Creameres cold storage businesses, meat packers and
condensares handle the bulk Of the butter, egg and
densed milk trade Of the country. They do nation wide
business and draw materials from widely separated
tiOns therefore being influenced little, at all by strict
" local conditions
In the face Of the assertion that butter and eggs viii
be qots higher this winter than las-sy high in fact"
recently stated the report Of the department Of sg
culture shows valid why they should be higher.
On the contrary they should be cheaper nOwthstand
ing slight increase possibly in the cost Of labor
Neither poultry feed cattle feed is higher than last
year southwestern creameries pay for milk this
year than last the Of higher feed l. is their
fault for alfalfa hay is bringing the farmer less this
year than last The price TO Arizona growers who pro-
duee Of the alfalfa hay used in this region is SO
ton fixed price. It sold high $40 ton locally
last year.
Tie department Of ageultures figures none Of them
showing stocks in retailers hands, show the stocks Of
butter July than half of it in cold storage and
evidently beng held 1or future sale totaed 7645419
pounds, which 1927 percent Of the stocks hand
the date IN 1917 and not counting f17S5,536
pounds transit July 1918 The stocks hand July last
year totaled 6s,7567o7 pounds Possibly illuminating
fact is revealed by the figures They show that wholesale
dealers bakers and other local handlers had only about
81 70 60 percent as much butter hand July this
year as on that cate last year The creamerles, meat
packers and cold storage plants had from f0 to 33 per
cent July l. 1913 Of their stocks IN proportion to
July 1917 This indicates they holding the pro
duct out Of the market Holding products Of the
et artificial shortage often calculated to force
higher pce levels It viii be noted that prices going
higher now.
justice to southwestern dealers it should be stated
that the table shows that very small amounts Of butter
held IN the southwest either in storage in the
hands Of wholesalers There is immense eoncentra-
uonapParently huge concentraton-of these sup
plies in the middle Atlantic states and New England.
Look at the egg table. On July 1, 1913 the report
shows there were 2o4 dozens in stock against
112527562 dozens On hand On the date in 1912,
making the 1918 stock aggregate 1851 percent Of that Of
1917 It IS again significant apparently, that about 90
percent Of these eggs in the hands Of cold storage
people, but about 100000 dozens than in 1917
were in the hands Of wholesaler Does any ap
pear Why the price Of eggs should be soaring above last
years figures?
These figures do not include s4sfs44 dozen eggs
which were in transit July I, those Of dried eggs
in which there IS very important trade The 1918
stock Of dried eggs is 244s percent of that of 1917
cording to the department Of agriculture
As for condensed milk, the 1918 stock on Iulv is
given as 17s5 percent Of that Of the date last year
the 1918 stock being s752So32 pounds against 81
52565 pounds for 1917 The total stock on hand Iulv
1913 was 135e7s2f0 pounds not including 57s474s
pounds IN transit The figures show five times as much
condensed milk in storage last year. third more in
the hands Of condensas and slightly more IN the hands
Of wholesalers The same general condition as TO total
supply holds good with evaporated milk Of which the