Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-11-19
SLUMP In
PRICE OF
TURKEYS
Wholesale Price Ten
Cents Under What
Growers Expected.
Imports Light

Turkey raisers are not as 0pti-
mistfc today as they were last
week when newspaper reports In
dicated that they would receive
anywhere from As to 55 cents a
mound for their birds. To-day Sa-
lem dealers are offering 30 cents
a pound for live turkeys Whele-
sale and 80 cents a pound for The
dressed birds, This is from five
to 10 cents pound lower than
the raisers had expected to receive
for their crop.
Dealers said today that every
thing Is up in the air" and with
the exception of offers from the
government, no definite prices had
been placed on the birds by buy
ers. AS Thanksgiving is less than
week away, dealers feel that the
buyers will make some definite
offers by next Monday when they
heavy shipments to the outside
markets will start.
Contributing Factors.
There are several conditions
that contribute to the uncertain
ty Of the turkey market this year.
One Of these Is the fact that many
consumers who last year pur-
chased birds at fancy prices are
now out OF employment, and will
content themselves with some
meat less costly than the national
bird Foreign turkey shipments
also have been light, while the
governments orders have not teen
up to standard.
The Willamette valley turkey
raisers, in common with those in
other sections of the state, lost
many Of the birds last spring be-
cause of the late rains. This con-
dition, 1t was thought two weeks
ago, would have the effect Of
boosting the prices to make up for
the short market
Based on today's offerings tur-
keys for the Thanksgiving trade
should be purchased by consumers
at retail prices ranging between
40 and As cents. The prices will
depend somewhat upon the size
and quality of the birds.
Conditions at Roseburg.
Conditions at Roseburg, which
is the principal turkey raising Sec
tion of Oregon, appear to be some
what similar to those existing in
the Willamette valley.
"The turkey market opened at
40 cents this morning, but short
time later took drop, which re-
suited in weak and unsettled
market" said newspaper dis
patch from Roseburg today.
Very little cash buying was
done throughout the day, prac-
tically all turkeys being sold on a
buyers receipt subject to the best
market price.
Cash deals this morning fol-
lowing the break went at 35 cents
and this afternoon several deals at
38 cents were made, and at clos
ing time this evening 3S cents APP
peared to be the general price,
During the day there were several
flurrles, and few choice lots sold
at 40 cents.
Outside buyers refused to go
above 35 cents with the rise, and
as result most OF the turkeys
went to local dealers or to the
pool. The pool obtained SIS and
rs per cent of the birds disposed
oft oday. Bids on the pool will
be submitted to the farm bureau
exchange tonight and the grow
ers will decide tomorrow morning
whether or not the pool is to be
held TO one of bidding buyers or
,onsigned to some agent n one OF
Ihe large cities of the coast.
Oakland reported the dullest
turkey day for many years.
''The birds are Of much poorer
Iuality than usual, this Icing the
result Of the poor weather condi-
ions"