Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-12
Government Review Of
Fruit and Vegetable
Markets of the u. S.

Bureau of agricultural economics, Market
News Service, United States department of !
agriculture. Weekly market review of
fruits and vegetables shipments for the
period of May % to June 2. inclusive. and
prices to jobbers May 80 to June ., incu-
osiyeD
Shipments of cantaloupes. Strawberries
and new potatoes showed decided increases
and were heavier than in early June, 1922
The watermelon movement is slightly
heavier, but far below last seasons to date
Other lines moved in lighter volume. Total
shipments of eleven leading products for
the week ending June were 1913 cars,
compared with 1920 the preceding week
Prices of watermelons held steady. Cali |
fornia lettuce advanced. Other lines de-
clined.
Watermelons in Season
With the coming of warmer weather, |
watermeonS are in demand First shipments
were made from Florida about a month ago, |
but movement did not become heavy until
mid May and has not yet reached full vol |
ume. Until June Florida had shipped
about 800 carloads, southern California half
a dozen cars, and imports from Mexico were
about fifteen cars The early crop IN
Florida is reported to be of limited size
and not very good quality. Harvesting of
the melons has been much delayed by adj
verse weather during the growing period;
4.2OO cars mad come from Inat Sldte W
June 5, 1922, and about 800 cars to the )
same time i'll 1921. Georgia and Texas also
made first shipments in early June last
year. but this season will scarcely start
carot movement until the end of the month.
At shipping points in the Ocala section
Of Florida, fob. cash track sales settled
to a range of $600@750 per carload for good
size Tom Watsons and $3OOW400 for those
weighing % to "a pounds: Demand was
good, but haulings light. With the heavy
crop a year ago fob, prices were $l0O0g
200. Medium size melons bring $oOO09o0
per carload in New York City compared
with prices half that high in early June,
1922, but the market has not yet settled
to normal level
The phenomenal feature of last season
was the heavy increase of Florida's output.
More than II 300 cars of watermelons were
shipped from Florida. nearly twice as many
as in 1921 and about $500 cars above the
tiye-year average. Georgia, the Leading
state marketed Is, 40 cars, or 5000 less
than the previous season, but still % per
cent more than the average amount. South
Carolina increased its output to 1910 cars;
CALIFORNIA; total reached 1890. and Alabama
jumped to $40 cars. Marked decrease oc-
Cured last year in Texas. Oklahoma. Ar
kansas, Missouri Iowa, Indiana. North Caro-
lima and Maryland, some of these states ac-
tually running below average. Record ship |
ments for the season about 46925
cars, only a few hundred more than in
1921, but 40 per cent higher than the five
year average.
Compared with last season, the forecast
of melon paintings in nine early states
shows net decrease of % per cent to a
considerably more than were planted in l93l
and 1920. Florida growers have about 30
per cent less acreage than last year. the !
Carolinas, % per cent less and Georgia |
growers 80 per cent less. In Alabama the |
decrease may be as much as 40 per cert, lat
in Texas the melon acreage about equals |
New Potato Prices Lower
Leading consuming markets were literally |
supplied with patotoes. Demand was |
limited to moderate, and prices declined:
South Carolina No. 1 Irish Cobblers sold |
from 75cG1$1.5 so lower i'll eastern cities at |
$4.50@6.5O per barrel, and brought $4.7o0 |
52j in producing sections on June .. Texas |
Alabama and Louisiana sacked Bliss
Triumphs ranged $35004.O0 per 100 pounds |
in the middle west. In the Wharton section |
of Texas. Bliss Triumphs were selling at
$3750l400 June =. Georgia BLISS |
Triumphs sold mostly at $500 per barrel in !
Cincinnati. Few sales of Florida Spauld!ng
Rose potatoes were reported as the shipping |
season in that state drew to a close. East |
ern and northern sacked round whites
strengthened slightly in eastern markets,
where sales were made at $1.o0@l.oo per
100 pounds. In Chicago northern round
whites sCld around $1.00. At Minnesota
and Wisconsin shipping points prices ranged
zoe to 75c for delivered sales, freight only
recent ranges in New York and Boston.
Shipments of potatoes increased 10 |
2.O96 cars. The movement OF old stock de-
creased to 1850, but continued heavier than
IA year ago.
Strawberry Markets Weaker
SHIPMENTS of strawberries were the
heaviest of the season, reaching total OF
1923 cars, exceeding the movement tor me |
week ending June 3, 1922, by about LOU |
cars. Maryland sent 933 cars, Delaware |
AIS. Maryland's shipments run slightly |
ahead of last season to date various
varieties of Strawberries from Maryland,
Nn,1, slightly
or in eastern markets at &c to l6c quart |
basis Crates of 81 quarts sold in Pittsburs |
and Buffalo at $4.00615,O. Berries from /
the eastern shore Of Virginia ranged DC 10
nessee and Kentucky furnished about half
the weeks supply. Arenas from those
states sold in consuming markets at s5.oUQ |
800 per 24-quart crate.
Cantaloupe Movement Heavy
Shipments of California Salmon Tint can
taloupes reached nearly 1,3OO cars. The
when only 81 cars moved during a cor
responding period. At shipping points in
the Imperial valley, Salmon Tntss stand
cined to a range of 81. OO@5. %, but
closed higher on June at $2.oO@2.1o.
Sales in a few leading wholesale markets
during the week reached $9.00012.O0 put
closed lower at $6.00@7.GO. Texas SalmoD
Tints in flats of 12-15 melons brought
So 50-3. 90 in New York and ruled S1.20 f.
o. b. shipping points.
other Fruits and Vegetables
New Jersey and Delaware asparagus sold
firm in New York at $4.00W5.5G per
dozen punches and held at $3.OO@4.OO in
Pittsburg. South Carolina green string
beans weakened to range of $2.OO@2.15
per bushel hamper in eastern markets. 4
few sales of Virginia Wakefield cabbage
were made in eastern markets at $l.00@1 |
1.50 per barrel crate. Texas and Mississippi
punched carrots sold at $1.25@2.25 per
hushel. Florida fancy cucumbers were high
er in New York and Philadelphia at
$4.50@5.50 per bushel hamper. California
iceberg lettuce advanced $1.00l1.2 % in New |
York to a range of $5.OOG5,5O per crate
and sold lower in other markets at $1,000 |
40. Texas Yellow Bermuda onions ranged
$225@2.75 per standard crate in leading
markets.
Noto tn Cuootboayt