Evening star., 1926-11-19
FAULTY MARKETING
OF fruit CHARGED
Growers Get Poor Price, But
Consumers Fail to Reap
Benefit.
BY j. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November 19.-The
fascinating game of passing the
buck is in vigorous progress in the
fruit industry of the United states.
Growers and consumers alike have
had a bad year. They are now
busily engaged in trying to determine
whose fault 1t is that the growers
in most sections did not make any
profit. while the consumers got no
benefit from lower prices because
of greater production.
Most Of the clear-sighted place
the onus on the faulty methods of
marketing and are determined to
rectify those ere another season has
passed. California this year pro-
duced the greatest fruit crop in his
tory, but the season has been about
as disastrous to growers of that Sec
ton as any on record. When the
shipments sent. outside the State
are totaled up they are expected to
exceed the 1925 total of $4,000 car
loads. But many Of these shipments
showed in red ink on the books of
the producers and for others the
margin OF profit was extremely mar
row. In addition large supplies went
to canneries. whose output seems
destined to exceed the 1925 total of
15,600,000 cases.
Grape Crop Dumped.
Growers and shippers in the Far
West seem to feel that absence OF
profits are due to unco-ordinated ship
ping efforts, and all factors are en-
deavoring to perfect cooperative or
ganiZationS which will act as a clear
ing house and insure proper distribu'
ton. Grape growers got a waliop
when, owing 10 the early maturity OF
the crop, immense quantities were
dumped on a few Eastern markets be.
fore the demand appeared.
Although later shipments sold bet
ter. prices were lower than in 1925
and the margin of profit for many
was wiped out. About $50 shippers
went 1t alone" without co-ordinated
efforts, and naturally failed to supply
distributing points evenly. This re-
suited in the Cutting of some markets
and widespread losses.
This was true in lesser extent with
shipments of other Western fruits.
although shippers of table grapes saw
the danger before the season was
over and commenced to cooperate for
ALLEGATION of shipments. California
to canneries at $35 a ton instead of
$40. The SIS difference meant diff
ference between fair profit and no
profit to many growers. but to the
consumer 1t meant only about half
cent a can. which even then some
did not get.
Apple Crops Are Large.
The apple crops of the country were
large and prices paid producers low
The present estimate for the country
Is 39,949 900 barrels, as compared with
the big crop of 1909 900 barrels last
year. Virginia jumped from 1,3S6.000
barrels to 3296,000. New York pro-
duced 2.043 900 barrels. as compared
with 1,3S6.000 In 1925. California
jumped 100000 to 2,043,0O0, and
Vast Virginia from SS5 900 to $780,
900. Washington's crop increased 1872
600 barrels. Price dropped as much as
81 a barrel. For some years apple
growers have had difficulty in getting
on the right side of the ledger. This
year they are up against 1t. AT the
same time retail prices are about the
same as last year. In many sections
the apples are unpacked or rotting on
the ground.
A black cloud is lowering over the
orange situation, although the Cali
fornia citrus fruit men have done
fairly well so far. The Florida crop
despite hurricanes, is estimated
around 100000 boxes. The coming
California crop is expected to be huge.
The Louisiana orange crop will reach
100, 900 to 100000 boxes and is bring
ing SO cents a box less than last year.