Imperial Valley press., 1926-10-06
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN
MARKETING PERlSHABLES TO
PREVENT HEAVY LOSSES

lrrogn!arity in shipping perish,
able fruits ana vegetables to mar
kotS, and failure to gauge the pro-
bable consumer demand for such
products are among the primary
reasons for the widr price tlnctua-
tionS that involve heavy losScs to
shippers, the New York Food Mar.
kcting Research Council has found
in Il study of the situation. The
council is Il cooperative group com
posed of the United States Depart
ncnt Of Agriculture. New York
State College of Agriculture, New
York State Department Of Farms
and Markets, New York University,
Port of New York Authority. Co
lumhia University. ana the New
Jersey State College of Agrieulturr..
Products that are susceptible to
rabid deterioration. saws the coun-
ell, must be disposed of shortly at
ter arrival at the point of dcStiua.
ton. The uncertainty of price pre-
Scnts problem in adjusting sup.
ply to demand with Il uicetv thAt
is required for few other agricul-
tural commodities.
Recent studies of the watermelon
market in New York, for example.
show that prices varied between
wide limits caused by excessive
supplies and shortages. Faced with
tho nroJla ,, ,l;.,os;u., - e, lnr,,,
harvest. shippers rushed their pro
duets TO market. Supplies becam"
50 excessive during 4 three weeks
period that the price was deUrcsscd
below the cost of transportation and
in MANY instances the WatcrmclouS
ended III the dumps.
Failure of the product to bring
even the cost of transportation in
dicatcs SAYS the council, that the
policv of marketing followed hv
many shippers il subject to much
Improvement. Scores Of cars of low
grade melons should never have
been started from tho farm. Even
with the better grade melons. dis
ttibution could have been more cf-
tr,i:rc.
Transported by Rail
Much the greater supply ef per
ishablc fruits and vegetable, is
TRANSPORTED by rail. Facilities cx.
ist At various points for h"ldin"
over and reconsigning ears while c0.
route to enable Il more f'rvibl"
movement OF supplies. These physical
improvements are ,au aid N bring
ing about more orderly distribution.
vet il is apparent saws the coln-
ell. that the most advaute"eaH4 uSc
has not been made Of them iuaS.
much as markets continue to he
over and undcr.suppli"d.
This situation, il has been found
is brought about largely = thc re-
suit Of the inability Of >hipncrs
and dealers to estimate Accurately
the demand requirements If tho
several markets. y utclominatuq
influence on their iudGucut Is tro
current rricc. To3av's hirh pr!rc
includes heavy shipments which, on
arriving. deurcss prices bc'ow 'l"s'
c>noctcd. or shinncpts arn ,,''l-
held as the result Of a current low
price orlv 10 boost il again 10 high
or levels.
another factor which cmnI" -i,cs
the need TO- NOR" ,;"ct rps'"'cd".
Of the demand for p"riShabicS in
the various markets IS the lcr"'h of
III" season in which 'hc crop i har-
70 vCStCi aud odd. I. is wcll ku"Wn
that there j. . seasonal equilibrium
prize Gcpcndc"' UUon III" size Of the
rron. \ small ,'rr win command
a higher price, l largr crop small
or nricc.
This is true o. al commodities
that can he stored /. is true a'so
OF rcrishables, with the exception
that the price is affected also hv
10" Tim" ir:clv'l in which the hult
of the commodity goes 70 market
During lA"i e"mr 2s 33S care of
w1trrn'"looS were shipped from
Florida Grorgia, South Caro;ina
and North Carolina, the scasono'
price being $lG3 a ear. The newt
year, - .922 ears wcr" shipped with
n seasonal price Of $2G9 The DIFF
ference in price was due mainly to