Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-19
0FOODsPnICES AND PROFITS
ARE COMPILED BY women
Information Il Gathered From
Various Sections Of the
State for Comparison.
SAX FARMERS HEAVIEST LOSERS
Wholesalers Proat In livery Case
Suasitsr than Netailsr'.. according
To Figures Arrived st-rIuctuatinE
Market In Constdcred.

AN interesting study OF food prices
and proa.s has been complied by q
group OF business and professional
women IN this State. comprising In
formation gathered from different
sections OF the state Cor comparing
rricos and wholesale and retail per.
centage OF Hrohts IN various Virginia
cities. In order 20 take into con-
sideration summer and fail cond.-
lions. tho prices quoted are those
OF tho morths OF August and No
Nember. ls.i. This compilation has
been made by the Virginia Fedora.
dion OF Business and Professional
Women's Clubs IN tho interest o:
lower prices since the business de-
preston has resulted IN lowered In
comes AMI salaries 10 many OF rs
members without a corresponding re-
auction IN the cost Of living
since women are the main buyers
OF food products md since business
women are in touch with conditions
Affecting prices. this complication
has been of the keencst interest TO
the business and professional women
throughout the States. especially be-
Cause largo proportion OF the women
undertaking II were housekeepers
The Information from which III.
tables of prices were compiled are
u, the headquarters OF the Fedora
ZION. hotel Richmond. and can be
seen By anyone interested in this
study.
Farmers Pront Low.
Labor and production conditions
nave been In such an abnormal stat.
TOT the pas: year that il is impos
s!bie 20 make any accurate estimate
farmers proats. but, as far a.
could be asccrtaincd the farmers
sNtI
gin Of prif;. and in some instances
at loss, and seem. as n class. 10
nave borne the brun, OF the loss IN
me shaking down OF reconstruction
prices.
By study Of the tables il Will be
seen that the wholesalers prof, is -
every case smaller than the retail.
: ana although 1, is realized tina,
the latter Is at the heavier overhead
'NPehse. II is nevertheless evid.n;
49, the retailer usually has tho
aons ehd OF the profits o, food
lraalns. F!uctuating market condI.
IONS also arec; the retailer I.ss
man the Wholesaler. who must cor
s'oer the clement Of risk involved
III hahoIinS large quantities
ne tables show also how widely
p"lA prices and profits differ I'm IN.
same state on the same date In
-fuS usl wh!e potatoes sold IN Alex
"ho''a Tor 80 l-2c a peck whole
IN Roanoke Sic, In Petersburg.
Lee. while the retail price in
Alexandria was 7Sc a peck. WIN =
Tc'ai! proht OF 66c; in Roanoke soc n
peek with retail profit OF coo. and
IN petersburg q, 2jc peek giving
me retailer 22c profit. In Richmond
i'll November, under cooler condi
ions WHEN produce could be moved
more gradually. and in consequence
tHe effect o: sro!!age upon prices was
not appreciabie. potatoes wc.. SELF
iAS wholesale for 4:I -2c q peek. and
retailing for soc q peek. ui,h a re-
taI!eTs profit Of S. per cent.
rms staple article is selected be-
tahse OF the consis;eH, demand for
u and its comparatively low over
hehc cost. To show ;ha; business
can De carried on at small margin
OF profit on an article for which
there is steady demand. attention
is called 10 the low retail PROF, on
nour. which varies from per cen,
In Alexandra TO 90 per cent in Rich.
nond. This article is not subtec, 10
quick deterioration, get its bulk and
weight are somewhat hca.y over
head HENS.
dressed thichcn. require quIc..r
turnover than potatoes in warm
"atheE. ami tn. percentage Of.
PROFITS IS proror,ionatcly lover Ta-
reia.! proht IN Alexandria OF. eggs
that s"id tor soc a dozen IN August
was IA ?.- cent on Dressed! chickens
per cent; III Rotioss az III. same
prices. retail p-oat Oh eggs VAS -
per cent ard On chickens - per cent
wh!le in cu".er fan weather. which
PARTIAL? retIceg Tho necessity 70:
quick turnover chickens sold in
HichUonI at q -.ta!l proet o. So per
cent. eggs - p.r' cent, and butter -
per cent
An item. ~h.ch does no, appea. IN
the figures as compiled. but one 81:
decided interest 10 the buyers o,
food products IS the fac, that beef.
which in 1919 sold for 4 fraction over
3 puurc on The hOof IS selling
practically tho sane today. and yet
the retail pr .cc Is! sirloin in 1913 ~as
from gle TO .jc, and today is from
3"c to 45c, with tn. present con
sumner paying a. large proportion OF
the appro.tgat. so per cent dit
ference in profits
Tables show Retailers Gnin.
The facts obtained In the iuvcsti-
cation can hc briefly summed ur
~ follows
1. There $ wide divergence in both
Irices and pronts for given co!nmo-
oities in different cities OF Virginia
On the same date
II. Figures on the farmers profits
are difficult, 10 obtain hut apparently
ne is the chief sufferer among those
handling cccd commodities. and IL
s. evident mat 10 IS bearing the
niunt OF The Joss in pr.sent abnormal
conditions.
III. The Wholesaler apparentty
nai.cs sri stantial profit. though
rot as large as does IA. retailei
and from "uctuatinG rnaract con.
dtions and must conform In genera
TO q lover price scale.
~. Tho retailers main diaad
Vantage ,"er the wholesaler Is
ercatcr "y"rn@ad cost. hc las. h,N
ever. less rsk from spoilaee les!
DISADVANTAGES from fuctuatins .narke
conditions. aud III every item In ,hH
study his 1er ccntaee %, pIOht j!
substantially higher than that o
In. wholesaler
Y. The consumer. nest 20 the farm
cr has had the eud' OF al
Nantaacs ~ lowered prices. The re
ta!ler's prices 70 him are very dis
rroportionatc to those charged b
either farmer 70 wholesaler or whole