Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-02-03
BY RALPH G.. BRAY
Mission Correspondent

Mission Correspondent
Who pays for new citrus packing
plants and equipment which are
being built every year in the Valley?
II Is well that our growers con-
slider that question and then answer
it; for they will find that the cost
Of plants and expensive equipment.
in every instance, falls on their
shoulders. That being the case.
they should have something to say
in the matter Of plant building. and
once they know the facts and realize
what the situation in the Valley Is
leading TO, they will insist on a
voice IN such matters.
have Just returned from a weeks
trip through the citrus belt In
Florida and I have tried to find out
Just what the situation there Is par
ticularly from the angle OF the
grower: for after all. that phase OF
any agricultural problem IS the most
important. II you don't give first
consideration TO the man who pro-
duces the wealth; then you en-
danger the very life OF the industry
in question.
I was amazed to find that there
were 377 citrus plants In the state
Of Florida and that there we're 142
independent shipping agencies
bucking the Florida Exchange. Per-
haps I should not have been amazed
for ! have known for some time that
the Valley has been leading in ON
petition with Florida in practically
every market IN the country. One
reason for that is lack OF control
Of the product at its source. and II
Is the control OF its product which
makes the California Citrus Ex-
change. the worlds most success
full cooperative and which assures
the growers Of that state maximum
returns
Florida Pictured
An observer. seeking the truth,
cannot help but seeing IL glazing IN
the situation presented in Florida.
Constantly there pine into your
mind the difference between Florida
and California: and that difference
IS in the manifold number Of mar
keting organizations and plants;
forcing competition in the home
field: which means price cutting;
Cutting OF markets and many other
ills. OF course. one Of the major
difficulties is encountered at the
very state. when we consider that
Of the 377 plants handling citrus
fruits in Florida at least n hum
dred and seventy-five OF them or
half. could be dismantled. equip
ment scld ard liability for their
maintenance and cost. cease 70 eX-
ist. That saving alone would mean
a big item to every citrus grower
in the state. and OF course that IS
one Of the main projects the federal
government, through the Farm
Board is working on.
OF course as injurious as this su-
pe-fluity Of plants or more SO. IS
the multifarious shipping organi-
cations who are competing against
each other. Here again the Farm
Board in its wisdom, and looking
at the matter solely in the light OF
the growers interests Is trying TO
cut TO the very core the number
of shipping organizations. for as a
matter OF fact. instead Of having l42
working at ross purposes. Il Is pos
siole and almost absolutely neces-
Sary TO have the minimum number.
and then having those organizations.
working IN close harmony. thus
safeguarding the interests or the
growers.
We can see that the governments
program Is a very ambitious one,
and perhaps which will never bear
the rich fruit desired. But the
growers Of Florida are assured this
much. and that is that every time
a plant is eliminated and every time
an independent organization or cash
buyer leaves the field. there is less
loss. less strife. and the grower IS
assured a little more for his pro-
duct.
Plants Expensive
Packing plants in the Valley. Just
as in Florida. are expensive. II they
are not needed. or II they are built
under the wrong plan, they are a
liability and n burden. The same
applies to independent marketing
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