Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-26

The benefits aceruing to the grower OF perisnaoie
products through the medium Of a cooperative organi-
cation which controls production and marketing Of 2
certain commodity or number Of commodities is daily
heino exemplified in the functioning Of the Rio Grande
Valley Potato Growers Association. This organization
controls approximately so per cent Of the potato pro-
duction Of the Valley, and in conjunction with the Rio
crande Valley Vegetable Growers Association, which
il cooperating very closely with the commodity eoopera-
tive, controls over 80 per cent Of the production
The spring market for new potatoes is opening very
suspiciously. and the organization is proceeding eau
tiouslv in the development Of its markets. the great
majority Of growers cooperating in q manner which
augurs we'll for the future. The potato market, unlike
that for most vegetables. always develops slowly. Each
spring il is necessary to create the demand, but the
market once created and stabilized consumes an i'm
mense amount OF new potatoes. The earliest potatoes
have been carefully placed where they would do the
most good. Each day the market is strengthening. and
within two weeks the consuming public will be de-
manding new potatoes in ever increasing quantities.
Experienced growers and shippers have learned that
the marketing Of potatoes is almost a science. The
Valley has learned, to its cost, the utter folly Of en-
deavorinr to "force" q market for new potatoes. The
consuming public never eyinces much interest in new
potatoes until the warm rays Of spring sunshine create
an appetite for the most famous Of all dishes-creamed
new potatoes-and when that appetite is once aroused,
there is a steady demand for the product Of the Valleys
potato fields.
The cooperatives have departed this year from that
old method of endeavoring to "force the market" They
are insisting that their marketing agencies ship only
upon order; that no market be c~ongested; and that
growers dig only upon orders. In other words, they
are maintaining the market upon the highest possible
plane consistent with good business. a plane which, if
followed to the end Of the season, will bring hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars in profits to the Valley potato
growers.
In this connection the attention Of the growers
should be called to the fact that the cooperatives' Off
the markets, and in this they have the aid Of the most
experienced growers and shippers. Their wishes
should be law in handling the potato deal: and any
request to halt digging or curtail shipments to steady a
market should meet prompt compliance. The grower
should bear in mind these officials are in better posi-
ton to secure information and handle the marketing
than the average member; that each officer is himself
a grower and is personally interested in making the
deal profitable to every grower in the Valley. That
they may err, is true; but their judgment should be
accepted as final; and if this is ~ done, the Valley grow
ers will profit.
Shippers who have been in the potato deal since %.
tatoes were first raised in the Valley frankly admit
that il the growers we're not organized the potato mar
ket would have been demoralized from the very outset
OF the season. It was only through the strenuous ef-
forts Of the officials that growers have been prevailed
upon to curtail shipments pending creation Of a heavy
demand and sterilization Of the markets, and as a re-
suit the market is now holding firmly, at a figure that
means substantial profits for every grower.