Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-05-10
PAULUS URGES PRUNE
MEN TO ORGANIZED FOR
future PROTECTION
Fruit Union Manager Warns
Growers Present Banner
Prices Cannot Hold Over
Long Period.

While prune growers are enjoying the
greatest prosperity ever kno.. .wn in the
industry, Robert c. Paulsu, manager Of
the Salem Fruit Union and president OF
the Salem Commeeial club, sounes =.
warning that such conditions may not
always continue And that as a ms,,-r
OF self protection, the Oregon prune
growers will soon be obliged 10 form
Organizations similar to Californ,,
Prune 4 Apricot Growers association
and others.
Mr.. Palllus has just returned from A
visit to San Francisco. San Jose. Los
Angeles and Santa Anna where he wen.
to investigate prunc conditions ana 10
satisfy himself about certain opinions
he had formed not only asto present
prune conditions, but in regard TO the
fture Of the industry.
Speaking Of what he say and heard on
his trip Of investigation, Mr.. Paulus
said.
California Crop Big.
"The California crop this year is est
mated at 22j,000,000 pounds, far abovs
the average for the past ten years.
Prune growers are enjoying the high.
est prices ever known, and while thet
are high, no trouble is anticipated in
disposing Of the crop.
A" Europe is taking everything in the
food line that is offered. England has
put a restriction on retail prices but
this will effect only 3O-40 sizes.
Wednesday Of this week the Salem
Fruit Union sold 100000 pounds and
Thursday another million. No sales were
made at the earlier and lower prices
whatever Friday, the Salem Fruit I'm.
ion turned down an offer on 1000. 900
pounds, figuring that il was better to
hold off until the crop could be checked
up and also to reserve a supply for
many smaller customers Of the Union
who had not bought.
Danger IN High Prices.
" At present there is bearing IN Cali
fornia between 10000 and 100000 acres
of prunes mostly in the Santa Clara val
ley where the yield is one ton dred
prunes to the acre. Coming into bear.
ing is an additional 10000 acres out
side Of the Santa Clara district ia Sono.
ma county and as far north as Chico,
where the average yield Is two tons of
dried prunes to the acre and even as
high as six tons.
'fWilh a crop this year Of 225,000, 900
pounds, California growers can sec
possibility of 6OO,O00,0OO pounds within
a few years. With this possibility, IL
is apparent that with the vast coming
crops, high prices and the lowering Of
the buying ability of the American pub.
lie, buying will assume normal eondi.
tions.
The big problem then will be mar
ketng conditions, Mr.. Paulus said. |
"And this condition will call for the
concerted action Of the prune grow
ers of the northwest
In preparation for these conditions, /
growers in California are beginning a
Of marketing for wider dis
tribution, and have appropriated S210, /
900 for the coming year for adveriis-
ing purposes.
lover IS per cent Of the California
crop Of prunes is handled BY the Sali-
fornia Prune and Apricot Growers as.
sociation. With such an immense quan.
tity Of fruit IL is estimated that the
average cost of selling per ton viii be
less than one percent. The cos.s to
each grower will be slight in compari
son with the benefits. "
Organization Eecehsary
Having observed how the California
growers intend TO handle an assured
sondLtiCa for the next few years with
crops and chances for much
lower prices, Mr. Paulus feels that all