The Dolores star., 1924-10-24

pasket carriers of peaches was fro-,
sl-'o to $50. These prices were IN
Joooers OF carl"ts and represent the
'hitiai cost of peaches at the first
point In the line Of marketing dis.
ulbution In the city.
oh the date the previously quoted
ietter was written from New York
July ~, the highest price reported Mt
u'a' city on sales to jobbers OF
Georgia peaches was S2.75 for six
oasket carrier. The approximate
weight OF the fruit in such a carrier
Is 3'a pounds. If this were sold
ut ~ cents per pound. the retail prics
mentioned by the writer, the carrier
Drought total of $50. This repre-
sehts the total amount paid by the
consumer out of which must come
'he, following items: The producers
returns, package cost, packing and
'oadlhg expense, freight and icing
charges. and the wholesalers gross
Proft or colnmisSion-making n total
vi H-.'o-and the cost, profits and
waste of city distribution which
amounted to Si.T5. We're the peaches
delivered to piers in New York free
OF charge and distributed to the con
suiner through the present channels
"' trade and at normal charges and
proIts only, the consumer would
nave had to pay approximately SO
per cent Of the price he did pay.
Distribution Is Costly.
Ihe distribution of fruits and
vegetables in New York city Is cost
~ operation at best and this cost is
greatly increased by the ungraded
condition of much of the stock which
is delivered to this market. In order
that buyers may inspect the fruit. it
Is necessary that ii be moved to a
central point where work may be done
as quickly as possible. In New York
the piers furnish this point and there
the cars are centralized and distri-
button begins. A car of peaches is
delivered to carlOt receiver at a
pier in New York. The receiver un-
loads the car on the pier and splits
~ iAiA' VI - ~ lpp 3,
each jobber buying according to his
needs. The jobber has his purchase
delivered to trucks which haul 1t to
his place of business in one of the
five or six secondary markets. Here
the jobber splits his supply into units
that will meet the needs of the re-
tailers. Again the truck is used to
deliver the retailers purchase to his
place of business. Here the last
splittings of purchases are made and
range in size, according to the con-
sumer's desires which may be one
peach or one or more baskets. Often
there is another truck delivery which
takes the product to the consumer.
Each Step Adds to Cost.
Each step in this distribution is an
added cost and each handler must
make profit. The cumulative re-
suit Is the consumers price. 1t has
been estimated that the initial NOV
ing charge from pier to truck, dis.
tance of 500 yards, is $1,000 per car.
From pier to the large distributing
points VIII TlIpt lTOln S-t.'v 10 NoD.VD
per car. Each handler must exact
profit, which may be small. but the
total expense is large. Peaches are
highly perishable product and the
various landings along the route
from producer to consumer entail con
siderable loss through physical injury
while changes in temperature aggra-
vate these and other defects. This
loss is the consumers loss rs the re-
tail price of the merchantable fruit
must cover the expenses and profits
in all the transactions.
These figures and facts which en-
plain rather cOnvincingly the reasons
for the so-caled waste of fruit at
the production end, while the con-
sumer must pay a considerable price,
have been prepared by the depart
ment after careful investigation.
Similar conditions are to be found in
the handling of practically all perish
,II, food prnIuctS