Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-20
Valley Loyalty

The situation created in the Lower Rio Grande
Valley as a result OF heavy shipments Of California
potatoes into this section and the collapse Of the local
market for Valley potatoes il one that demands the
serious consideration Of every individual who is sin
eerely interested in the Valleys future.
Valley potato growers lost thousands Of dollars
when the eastern markets collapsed az the Peak Of the
shipping season and there is no indication that eastern
or northern markets will recover. Scores Of carloads
of Valley potatoes we're placed in storage. and the
growers were confident that local consumption would
take care Of at least part OF the production and thereby
reduce to some extent their losses.
But the Valley consumers, evidently without real
izng the damage to one Of the Valleys principal in
d~ustries, have persisted in buying the Canifornia prod.
net, paying a premium Of l to / I-22 cents per pound,
and the local market for the Valley potatoes has prac.
tically disappeared.
The retailers and commission firms are in no way
responsible for this situation. They state that the
consumers are demanding the white potatoes Of Cali
fornia in preference to the rcd potatoes Of the Valley,
though the latter are superior in practically all re-
srects.
The same situation has arisen in connection with
the Valley lemon crop. Hundreds Of consumers de-
mand the a~rtificially colored lemons Of California,
which are treated with sulphur = give them the bril-
liant yellow the trade demands. Valley green lemons,
which do not "stand up under the sulphur Treatment,
20 begging on the market, though practically all users
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phur-eoored product Of California.
There are also many consumers who never think %
demand Valley canned vegetables when purchasing
their supplies, and some even demand products Of
Maryland, Wisconsin or Missouri canneries. The great
majority of Valley housewives know that the products
Of Valley canneries have no peer, but they merely
neglect 70 order the Valley product. As a result scores
q carloads Of f~oodstuffs Of various kinds are shipped
into the Valley and sold in competition to Valley grown
or manufactured products.
II the Lower Rio Grandc Valley ~ to develop its
agriculture and industries the lesson Of patronizins
home industries must be thoroughly learned. Califor-
MIA will not permit citrus fruit from other states o.
their local markets. Californians are loyal to their
state and its industries, and Nalicy-grown potatoes ~
vegetables receive 2 very cool reception whenever an
effort is made TO invade the California markets. AZ
a result Of this cooperation between the consumers
and growers California has established excellent local
markets, and the system results il the distribution W
millions Of dollars annually among California grower,
every dollar of which aids ia development of the state
resources.
It is a duty the Valley people owe the Valley u de-
mand Valley vegetables, fruits or other products. Ev-
cry dollar expended for California potatoes means a
loss to the Valley and bigger bank accounts for Cali
fornia. There is no logical excuse for such a situation
and the people Of the Valley should scc thet ~ is corr
rected without undue delay.