Smyrna times., 1930-08-06
FARM EGG PRICE OUTLOOK
INDICATE DOWNWARD TREND
MOVEMENT OF POULTRY INTO
COLD STORAGE FALLS OFF
Poultry Raisers Advised Not to
Expand So Much But to Give
Attention to Egg Production


The sixty-seven poultry raisers
in Kent county who are members
of the Delaware Farm Egg Record
Club received recently from the Of
flee of County Agent Russell E.
Wilson the June report which was
prepared by H. S. Palmer, Exten-
sion Poultryman of the University
of Delaware, stating the average
egg production records of 1892
birds representing 155 different
poultry farms in the state, and
containing timely information in
regard to the outlook for poultry
and egg prices during the coming
fall and winter months. Accord
ing to the records which were re-
ceived from these various farms,
the pullets laid on the average
1873 eggs, and the hens produced
1876 eggs, while the mixed f1ocks
of both pullets and hens gave a
production of 1876 eggs per bird,
which was equal to that of the
hens. These records differ some
what from those of June, 1929,
when the egg production per pull
let was 14.3, and that of the hens
was 1876, as compared to 14.2 eggs
per bird from the mixed f1ocks.
Referring to the outlook for egg
prices, this report states that re-
ceipts of eggs from March 1,when
the new season opened, to July L
of this year were about 100000
cases more than for the same per-
iod in 1929, and storage stocks of
case eggs on July l were about p
100000 cases greater than on July
1 of last year, indicating not only
mucn lighter consumption than
year ago, but decrease in de-
mand during that period even
though prices this past spring
were below those of 1929. In view
of the low demand and the ample
prospective supply from the heavy
storage stocks, and from the cur
rent receipts at the present time,
the price situation appears unfav-
orable for the coming fall, and
peak prices are likely to be below
those of last year. The probable
decrease in the production of eggs
during the winter and next spring,
however, should improve the rela-
tive price situation for eggs in the
spring months of 1881. In regard
to poultry prices, it seems that due
to the unfavorable outcome of the
past storage season the generally
reduced buying power of the con-
sumers the movement of poultry
into consumption and into cold
storage this fall is not likely to be
as great as last year except at
much lower prices than prevailed
at that time. The entire poultry
situation at the present time is
similar to that of 1927, while the
general level of prices of all COM
modities is now lower than it was
three years ago with a definite
trend downward. Improvement in
/ the business situation throughout
the country in the winter of 1927
and 1928 had direct bearing on
stimulating the market demand
for poultry and eggs, so any re-
vival of business conditions in gen
eral this year would likely have
tie same effect in improving poul-
try prices throughout the country.
Taking these facts into considera-
ton, therefore, it would seem ad-
visable for the poultry raisers in
this state and elsewhere to not ex-
pand their business, but to give
greater attention to higher egg
production per bird and more ef-
efficient management