Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-04
No Potato Shortage
Prices Will Be Normal

In response to many requests for
information concerning the recent
rise of potatoes, the Massachusetts,
Commission on the Necessaries of
Life has made an investigation and
finds that the preliminary crop esti-
mate indicated a harvest consider
ably above last Year but below the
five-year average.
The New England potato crop for
1925 is estimated as about 1920 arove
last year, or 46,690,000 bushels. COM
pared with 42,795000 bushels for
1925 the quality of the crop is also
much better. The crop for the
whole country is 360,727,00O bushels,
against 325.902,000 bushels last year.
The short crop in New York was
one of the reasons for the great
speculation which took place last
year; the New York potato crop is
estimated as 31,702,000 bushels. COM
pared with 23,994,000 bushels for
1925, or an increase this year of over
$500.
Another reason for 'he excessively
high prices last year was the hold
ing of potatoes in Maine by fin
ancial interests and farmers to force
higher prices. Many fortunes were
made in potatoes but those who held
stocks too long incurred losses, be-
cause high prices attracted large
supplies of potatoes from Canada.
In examining receipts of potatoes al
the Boston market this year. it ap-
pears that ST. cars of Canadian po-
! tatoes have been received this year
as compared with 1896 cars last year
The total figures of receipts to date
| follow:
Receipts of potatoes. Boston, July l.
| 1925 to Nov. 80, 1926 $3.50 cars
Receipts Of potatoes Boston, July
1925 to Nov. 10, 1925 CLIO cars
| 1t will be noted the total receipts
| OF potatoes show a material increase
. this year, but the most startling fac'
is the heavy receipts of foreign po-
tatoes, on which duty of 12c 6
pound is imposed and which come
from a greater distance.
The retail price of potatoes is from
| SOC to soc peck Q5 lbs.) compared
| with about 85c for fifteen pounds al
this time last year; in November
! 1913, the retail price of potatoes
{ was 35c a peck. 1t is reported thai
potatoes cost about 1c pound to
| raise in Maine. The present nrice fol
i Green Mountain No. l at Presque
Isle, Me-, is about INC pound: the
, rail- freight cost TO Boston is aDOul
! .004c pound; the wholesale price in
bags is about &c a POI and the re-
| tail price about &C a pound.
f, The potato is commonly known as
| the poor mans friend, because il
supplies him almost one quarter OF
his food needs at low cost. The
Commission believes that those en-
gagged in raising or selling potatoes
should receive a reasonable profit
especially the farmer who raises the
crop, but excessive speculation and
undue interference with the natural
economic laws is condemned, par
ticularly because the burdc~ falls on
the poor man who relies on potatoes
as his principal sourie of food.
From the information which the
Commission has been able to obtain,
there is no shortage in the supply OF
potatoes anywhere. If the policy OF
holding back potato stocks in maine
for higher prices is again ATTEMPTED
this year, there will undoubtedly be
a large unsold surplus. Laroe stocks
of Canadian potatoes are being sold
in this market. and also, when the
potatoes are high consumption will
be reduced. Therefor. it is evident
that it will not be possible to
profiteer in potatoes to the same eX-
tent as last year, and lower rather
than higher prices should prevail.
Charles IL. Adams, Chairman.