Evening star., 1922-09-18
BY J. c. BOYLE
Special Correspondent Of The Star.

1
! NEW YORK, September 1S.-The
American householder can buy a new
can opener and use it freely without
serious depletion Of his pocketbook
throughout the coming fall and win
ter. The great staple articles OF food
which are packed or preserved, and
which play q prominent part in the
daily sustenance of the United States
give no evidence of any marked ad-
| vance in price, and In general may be
| expected to remain at present or
lower levelsF
This conclusion II based upon tele-
graphic reports received within the
! last twenty-four hours from experts
In every pig producing and .nIa packing nS
canned foods In nearly every center
are running heavily in excess of those
Of 1921. The hold-over st >cks OF tnat
year are not yet entirely disposed oi.
and there certainly viii be no sea-. sisa.e'ty :,
canned fruits. vegetables or milk IN
| the next year. There may be over
production.
Not All Lines Included.
This generalization does not apply
to some individual lines in which,
from various causes, packs are known
to be short. In this category are cher
higher grades Of California peaches
and abricots, in which stronger prices
may be expected.
! The railroad car shortage has played
an important part in the canned food
situation. Farmers have been unable
| to market q large amount Of produce
| which they counted on selling fresn,
and have disposed OF IT to Gamers In
their own vicinities.
Packers announced opening prices
from 10 to rs per cent In advance s; OF
ance from retailers and consumers,
| who steadfastlv refused to buy. AS a
consequences prices came down IN
! many sections. This trend was made
possible by somewhat lower cost OF
cans. cases, labels and lower prices
paid to growers.
Pressure to Sell Lower Grades.
There il pressure to sell lower
grades of canned peaches and apricots
| In California, and there Is also price
| cutting, to move little known brands.
| but prices are holding firm on the
! short pack better grades The avail
| able supply of salmon is less than
at this time last year and jobbers
! have bought conservatively and sold
close. Prices for tuna and other Cali
| fornia fish packs are unsettled. owing
| to keen competition and higher prices
| demanded by fishermen.
Unsettlement in the canned goods
situation also prevails in the Pacific
northwest, according to kilograms
. from Seattle. Although stocks are
I greatly depleted. prices are low and
there is little demand. Canned sal
| mon packs are on a par with last
year and prices likewise.
| The packs In the northwestern
states in general are 10 per cent above
| the average, st. Paul reported today.
The price tendency iS downward. but
| the decline will be small because the
! production cost line has already been
approached. Minnesota's corn pack is
! short. however. and the amount OF
beans for canning has been cut down
! by protracted hot weather.
See No Advance I'm Prices.
Gamers in the middle west. accord
| ing to word from Chicago. are conf
| dent they can dispose Of the entire
! output Of the 1929 season at prices
| now being quoted. Wholesalers at
! last are showing real interest In that
Gamers to boost prices, Retail gro
GERS who have deferred buying now
are convinced that nothing is to be
| gained by waiting for further reduc-
tions. Prices are lower than those of
1891 for all the great staples except
/ canned peas.
Canned goods hold a firm position
| in the south, New Orleans states. and
prices are steady with an abundant
supply of shrimps and a heavy oys-
ter pack in prospect. Increases in
! price. however. are not believed to be
imminent
Offset to Decrease.
| Reports from Boston assert that
| there is q substantial carry over
! ~ q NJ orvx
! which has counterbalanced the de-
crease in the pack this season. Maine
sardines are weak. but canned lob
sters and crabs are in demand at
steady prices.
| Indications point to 4 steady mar
ket in the middle Atlantic states, a
| Philadelphia expert declares. There
has not been q heavy pack of staples.
! but the quality is slightly below nor
| NAL. Buying pressure would cause
an advance. but no such pressure Is
| in evidence.