Imperial Valley press., 1927-05-26
EXCHANGE PLAN
IS ADOPTED BY
CANTAL0UPE MEN
New Organization Seeks
to Stabilize Market
Conditions.

Formation of an organization OF
Imperial Valley cantaloupe grow
ers for the purpose Of stabilizing
the industry was perfected at q
largely attended meeting of grow
crs and shippers held yesterday af
ternoon at the Hotel Barbara Worth.
With $4,000 acres of this season s
crop signed up during the last two
weeks, and 1900 added at yester-
days meeting, total of $4,000
acres out of the season s estimated
10000 acres has been pledged to
the movement.
As result Of the success of the
meeting two offices of the new or
ganization, the "Imperial Valley
Cantaloupe Growers Exchange
will open simultaneously the first
of the week-one in the Hotel Bar
bara Worth building, and the other
in the Planters Hotel at Brawley.
Claude A. Brown, a man of long
experience and exceptional ability
will head the organization as man
ager.
"The principal feature Of our
organization is to render the grow
ers personal service, and to func-
tion with determined effort to
maintain an excellent pack with
good quality" Brown, who acted
as chairman Of the meeting, de-
clared.
The purpose of the exchange, is
to handle the sales end of the bus
mess in an expert manner, based
upon detailed information Of all
factors contributing to the market
and its trend, which will be OBJ
tanned by making a digest of ter
minal market information, move
ment and other elements which in
fluence the prices of this perishable
fruit.
Growers will pay to the exchange
the sum Of SIS for sales service on
each car disposed of throughout the
season. At the end Of the season,
the expenses attendant upon the
functioning of the organization
such as salaries, office overhead,
etc. will be deducted, and the re-
naming surplus prorated back to
the growers on the basis of the
number of cars handled for each
firm. In the opinion of Manager
Brown, it will be found at the end
Of the season that the cars will be
handled for considerably less than
the original $15.
VIII Lessen Cost
Original estimate Of the cost per
car was based upon the exchange
handling approximately 1000 ears.
With the present acreage signed up,
indications are that this number
will be doubled, and the resultant
increase in tonnage producing in
turn favorable effect in lessen
ing the cost of selling per car
Cash buyers, who were also at
the meeting are expressing them
selves in favor Of the movement, ac-
cording to Brown. AS was pointed
out, each cash buyer will have the
opportunity of selecting his pur-
chases from practically the entire
loadings each day.
Quality will be consistently the
aim of the exchange, all influence
possible being brought to bear by
the organization to stress the i'm
portance of quality pack. A careful
survey of the loadings will be per-
sonally made by employees of the
exchange. The inspection will be
thoroughly supervised by Horticul-
tural Commissioner B. A. Harri
gan's deputies.
The cooperation Of the buyers
and growers, which will be made
possible through the exchange, will
unquestionably result in more stab,
ilized conditions which, it was
pointed out at the meeting, win it
is believed. react favorably on
prices.