Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-02
VALLEY WILL
hike TOMATO
ACREACENOW
New Tariff On Vege-
table Means Produc-
ton In 1890 Prob
ably To Be Doubled

SAN BENITO, June 1.-The Low.
er Rio Grande Valley at this early
date is preparing to meet the in
creased demand that will be made
upon it Cor tomatoes, with passage
Of the tariff bill imposing a tariff
on Mexican tomatoes. according Ia
Valley men who attended the con-
vention OF wholesale fruit and vege-
table dealers in San Antonio this
week.
At that convention a suggestion
that the fruit and vegetable dealers
oppose a tariff on Mexican tomatoe:
vas made by A. c.. Stearns Of No
gales, Ariz., representing the Mexi-
ear tomato interests. The sugges-
ton was voted down by the conven-
ton.
]. E. Bell of this city. who twice
went to Washington representing
the Valley in the successful fight
for a tariff on Mexican tomatoes
pointed out the weakness in the ar
gument Of Stearns.
Stearns Quoted
"Mr. Stearns is quoted at the
meeting as saying at one time that
Mexican tomatoes do not affect the
Texas tomato market, because they
come on at a different time, ana
at another time he stated During
the revolution we shipped no toma-
toes TO the United States for four
to six weeks. and the prices jumped
up TO SIS and IS a box
The fact that Mexico did not
ship tomatoes during q part Of the
season just closing is the main rea-
son that Lower Rio Grande Valley
shippers got a better price for their
tomatoes than they have in years,
Mr.. Bell said.
There are hundreds Of farmers In
this section who made more money
off tomatoes this year than they
have made in years, and the crop is
largely responsible for improved
conditions generally in this section.
Tariff on Tomatoes
with a tariff on Mexican toma-
toes the acreage in this section, and
in other parts of Texas will increase
to supply adequately the market Of
the country. That increase will be
a normal one. I might even say that
the acreage now is not a normal
one, but is a reduction of the actual
potential acreage because Of MeXi-
can competition.
"a healthier condition throughout
the country, resulting in a much
greater return TO the farmer, and in
very little difference in the price the
ultimate consumer pays, since dis
tributing agencies have a tendency
to act as buffers and absorb the diff
ference. will result from the tariff"
Bell stated.
Predictions in this section r be-
ing made fora considerable in
crease in the tomato acreage in view
of the tariff. The fact that failure
Of Mexican tomatoes TO move during
the present season caused a high
price to be paid for Valley tomatoes
is considered a positive indication
that Valley tomatoes will bring a
good price in the future.
Price Held Up
"The price Of VALLEY tomatoes this
season held UP until Mexico came
onto the market. and then there was
a sudden drop" one local shipper
said. THE drop came when Mexi-
CO ended her revolution. and start
ed shipping tomatoes. WL.n we ran
into Mexican tomato" q the mar
ket we found 1t was necessary to
cut the price to meet the COMPETE
ton"
The Valley section moved approx
imately l400 carloads OF tomatoes
this season. Predictions here are
made freely that the section will
ship from $500 to 5000 cars during
the coming season. shipping over a
longer period Of time, and in larger
quantities daily to supply the mar
ket that has been supplied by Next
can tomatoes.