Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-05
PRICES
IN SHARP UPTURN
Potatoes, Cabbage and Other
Green Produce Show
Higher Trend.

maintained through the first week of
December, says the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture Bureau of
Agricultural Economics Market News
Service. Most of the produce remaining
has gone into permanent storage and
the owners are no longer in a hurry to
get them to market. Weather too, has
interfered considerably with shipping
operations in producing sections. Many
shippers East and West have been hold
ing produce for higher prices. The
combined result of these conditions was
a brisk advance in prices of potatoes
and cabbage, and more or less of an up
ward trend on the other leading lines
of green produce. From more general
point of view the market gains OF late
November and early December were a
part of the general recovery of price
values at the time in many commodi-
ties.
Potato Prices Advance.
The leading markets quoted potatoes
in early December on an average Of
about rs cents per 100 pounds higher
compared with the lowest of last month.
Car-lot potato sales by dealers at rep
resentative country shipping points
ranged from 80 cents per 100 pounds
in the Rocky Mountain region to $1.60
in Western New York. Usually in a
short-crop season the price has tended
upward during Winter, and the potato
trade is wondering whether the present
bulge in the market is merely tempo
rary or whether the underlying condi-
tons are beginning to take effect. There
is considerable interest in the coming
December final crop report and the later
Of
which are both practically reviSions Of
the preceding crop estimates. Total
shipments of the late crops so far are
little lighter this season and the cur
rent rate of shipment is less than in
early December last year, partly because
of weather conditions at shipping points
and also because some growers are not
willing to sell at prevailing prices Com
pairing the market situation with 1921
%, which was also a hard-time season
and short potato crop, prices have
been ranging relatively lower this year
Supplies Of potatoes are reported
moderate and demand fairly good in
nearly all Eastern markets. Consider
able quantities of potatoes from Prince
Edward Island are TO be found in Bos-
ton, Providence, Philadelphia, Pitts
burgh, New York, and even in some
Midwestern cities. The island has
shipped over half million bushels of
table stock to the United States this
season. Maine potatoes also are moving
over wide range of market territory
because of shortage and poor quality of
much of the Central Western crop.
Prices were advancing during the first
week OF December, with a range of 81 rs
to 1925 per 100 pounds on jobbing
sales Of Maine Green Mountains in
Eastern markets. Long Island potatoes
sold a few cents higher than Maine
stock. Pennsylvania or New York
Round Whites were mostly little be-
low Maine potatoes. Pennsylvania re-
ceipts sold at 81 go to SITS in Baltimore
and Pittsburgh. From a carlot shipment
standpoint, Western New York SO far
this season has been rather unimportant
as source OF potato supplies Much of
the market crop mas been disposed of
by motor truck. Growers in that sec
ton are receiving low prices of so cents
to IS cents a bushel
An upward tendency in sweet potato
prices in early December brought some
increase In shipments from Delaware.
Tennessee and New Jersey. with total
daily output sometimes exceeding 100
cars, but supplies are still light in most
Eastern markets. Prices are well MAIN
tanned at recent advances. Virginia yell
low stock sells at SO to 81 so per barrel
IN Eastern markets Some of less de-
slrable quality brings only $3.50. North
carolina red stock was quoted at 81 .35
per bushel in Washington. and at SO
10 S3.oO per barrel in New York. Della
ware and Maryland yellow sweet potA
toes advanced in New York hut sold
about unchanged in other markets. with
general range of $l.35 to SITS per
bushel Sales Of New Jersey potatoes
including house-cured stock, were at
$1.75 to $3.50.
Cabbage and Onions Gain.
The beginning of cold weather in
EASTERN producing sections had a
strengthening effect on the market for
caDpage, onions and most other veg
enables. AT the same time lower tenn
peratures and snow in some districts
tended to retard shipments.
Inc demand for cabbage has greatly
improved. There were gains of IS tn
30 per ton at various shipping points
as compared with the low points of No
vember. The advance has been fairly
wen maintained and some growers are
holding back in anticipation of further
gains, since present price levels are
not relatively high. Growers in West
ern New York are receiving $40 to SIP
per oulk ton and occasionally $13, and
sS> w " o1O at SIllDDln2
points. Most of the heavy holdings in
storage are in New York and Wiscon-
sin. A few cars are coming from Penn
sylvania and from the Far West. Penn
sylvania cabbage of the late-keeping
varieties sells in Washington at ST.
per 100 pounds. New York cabbage is
quoted at $2l to $25 per ton In Eastern
markets, or $1.15 to $3.50 per 100
pounds.
Slightly higher prices for onions
brolght some increase in car-lot ship
ments the first week of December. The
gains were mainly on Eastern onions.
Some very low-priced stock remains in
the West, with prices paid to growers
as low as rs cents per 100 pounds in
some districts, compared with 81 to
$l.l5 in the East and Middle West.
Prices on iobbing sales in Eastern mar
ketS are $1.10 to $1.35 ON best lots.
supplies on hand are reported moder-
ate in New York and Boston and light
in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh
and Cincinnati.
Leading Eastern markets report mod
crate supplies of celery and slow de-
mano Shippers are pushing the crop
into the market rapidly because of the
30 per cent larger holdings in storage
compared with last year, and because
new celery from the South may be ex-
pected to compete by January, while
the condition of old celery in storage
scarcely holds its own after that time.
SHIPPERS in Western Naw VorIr orc ,-o