Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-07-23
Marketing Our Fruit.

Marketing Our Fruit.
(w. Ii. Conant. BuckAsld, at fruit field meeting.
As the President has said this morn
ing, We have talked the growing ol
apples in the past, neglecting the all i'm
portsnt subject, that Of marketing the
crop, yet believe every commercial
orchardist In Maine realizes that he
must first produce good fruit before be
can sell good fruit. It is, therefore,
important to consider the addresses
given this forenoon, following out a.
carefully as We can, definite plan in
our orchard management, in order to
produce the best fruit possible under
climatic conditions. After q careful
study Of this marketing problem, one is
led to the conclusion that up to within
q few years the methods used by most
growers might be more correctly called
getting rid Of the crop. the bulk of the
apples being picked up by buyers who
performed the service of preparing the
fruit for market, branding the barrels as
they saw ut, using as many KS "a the
head OF the barrel would take, and each
crew Of packers having different con-
ception as to what constituted No. or
. No. 2, is is not strange that Maine
apples bore poor reputation in the
large markets when sold in competition
with graded fruit.
About four years ago, q Bureau of
Markets was established in the Depart.
ment of Agriculture at Washington.
One of the activities of this bureau was
to create standards in packages until
nearly all the containers In which fruit is
placed upon the market have been
standardized by the Federal Govern
ment.
Then came the demand for more
definite grade standards, and ss result
of this demand, We have the Maine
apple packing and grading law, which
not only establishes standard grades of
apples, but also specifies how closed
packages shall be branded.
These standards form q basis for all
marketing operations, something definite
to quote prices on, something TO create
confidence between the grower and the
distributors, the retailer and the ulti-
mate consumer.
There is q great deal Of information
relative to crop and market conditions
necessary to the successful marketing OF
perishable fruits, especially is this true
of apples which require wide distribu-
ton.
Beginning in June, it Is important to
know the extent OF bloom In all the
apple producing districts in this country
and Canada, to know the per cent Of
fruit set, and through the growing
season the amount OF insect and fungous
injury affecting the quality of the fruit,
with . total estimate in barrels each
state or district may produce.
IL is also important to know what the
crop Ia in England, because q large per-
csntags of the New England apple crop
has. in the past, been exported to that
country.
Doubtless you realize that 1t is i'm
possible for the average grower to secure
This information, with the result that at
harvest time he has little or no concep
ton of what his fruit is worth, or where
his crop should be marketed.
There is one way in which growers
may avail themselves Of this crop and
market information, and market their
fruit to much better advantage, believe,
and that is through fruit growersI as
sociation, or business organization In
corporated under the laws of the state,
managed BY . board of five directors,
who hire q manager whose business 1t is
TO gather crop and market Information,
and furnish same to all the members, to
take charge of the grading and packing
of all fruit produced by all members OF
the association, to enter into contracts
for the association, and place the various
grades of fruit on the market when and
SA
the members.
Iwant to mention briefly few OF the
many ways In which q live business or
ganization may be of service to Its mem
bers. First, by buying comparatively In
large orders at q much lower figure than
the same goods could be bought In small
lots, your spraying material such as
lime-sulphur, lead srsenate, In fact
everything used as spray in the orchard,
as well as fertilizers and barrels
or other containers, and all supplies
used in properly preparing the fruit Tor
market, thus reducing the cost OF
barrel Of apples.
Second, by grading all fruit of the as
sociation under o standard brand oy
which your fruit would be known In the
markets. In this way, every barrel Will
bs an advertisement for your organiza-
| tion and the community, and thus create
a demand In the markets for your brand
of fruit. It il possible In few years to
build q reputation on the markets that
will be worth . great many dollars to
syery member OF your association.
Cooperative marketing organizations
ara comparatively q new thing in the
east, but they have passed the expert.
mental stage, and we know what sort OF
an organization 10 required, for IL has
been demonstrated right here In the State
| of Maine that an organization OF shis
kind can render valuable service to It's
members when conducted along busi-
ness lines.
The only difficulty encountered under
this plan OF marketing was to ind man
vho could give part Of bis time to the
study of market problems, and to act as
local manager. Many of these assooia-
tions did not do business enough to
warrant hiring market expert. NO"
| to ovarcome this difficulty and encourage
every effort along this line, and 20 secure
market efficiency, representatives. Oh .no
various fruit gyowers' associstions game
together and formed central orgsni1s
ton known n Luo AeAno
Exohanre, . purely cooperative corpora
tion owned and managed by the various
locals affiliated with It. This Exchange,
Through its business manager, serves - .
clearing house for all market information
to every association affiliated with IL, 70
secure stssmship space for export, sno
20 keep In touch with the foreign Market
bv cable, to enable the sssooiaeions 70
take charge of all matters relating 20
routinr. destination. and sales OF the
lfruit. and general charge and control OF
the books and business Of the corpo-
ration. subject to the approval ana CON-
ltrol of the Board of Directors.
Now Won can readily see, We have an
ORGANIZATION large enough and broad
enough to put the fruit industry Oh
Hsine on sound business basis.
The largest contributing factor 20 .ns
.uccsss OF an organization OF this KIND
-: FIrst. the loyalty Of every member
to the local association. Second, aoopt
ssrc sound business methods In aii sne
n activities of the corporation 49,.
II with full measure OF support On sIe
mart Of the fruit growers. Il 10 poesfoie
! 10 build up fruit markefing ofSsnisa-
, tion In the state Of Maine second 20 none
. In the world.