Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-28
PRICES FOR FARM
PRODUCE DECREASE
Early and Active Shipments
Expected to Follow
Mild Weather.

The slant of prices was still down.
ward on farm produce near the first
of March, says the United States De-
partment of Agriculture Bureau of Agri-
cultural Economics Market News Serv-
ice. Mild weather favorS early and &C
tive shipments. Supplies of stored fruits
and vegetables continue large and the
demand lacks vigor. Potatoes and cab
bage dropped little further, but onions
we're already selling so extremely low
that the market seems to be reaching
point of resistance. New Southern
produce is coming along fast. When the
new crop starts so early various setbacks
may be expected from frosts and cold
storms.
The current rate of shipments of
fruits and vegetables Is 5 to 10 per cent
greater than q year ago, but the in
crease is accounted for in part by the
heavy output of oranges and grapefruit.
The supply of these fruits is liberal
enough to explain low prices in that
line. Other produce selling at one-half
to one-tllird the level of last season
seems to be depressed by the lower gen.
eral price level for goods of many kinds
Sweet potatoes, lettuce and celery are
among the few vegetables selling higher
than in early March, 1880. Cabbage at
81 to $40 per ton in producing sections
is near the bottom of the list when COM
pared with SIS to SIS year ago.
Potatoes Fairly Steady.
The general potato market has be-
haved about as we'll as could be expected
in view of carlot shipments sometimes
amounting to fully 1000 carloads daily
Prevailing average receipts are about
800 cars, compared with usual year.
around average near 600. Maine, Idaho
and Colorado account for about half the
current output in carloads.
11ou ha1d Gofn
tatoes than on most other lines. The
present range of prices on Maine Green
Mountains is the same or trif1e higher
than at the beginning of the month,
while other classes of potatoes have de-
clined 5 to 10 cents during that time.
It is no doubt realized by the trade
that the active shipments in late Win
ter were due to mild weather rather
than to any great surplus of holdings.
Last year shipments after February
amounted to about $4,000 cars, and
holdings are supposed to be much the
same this year, but it is evident that
low prices will not encourage shipments
of low-grade stock from distant pro-
ducing sections. The market continues
dull in Western New York, with carlot
sales a little above 50 per 150-pound
sack. large percentage of billings
are destined for Southern points. Price
to growers has gone as low as so cents
a bushel, bulk, at some stations in this
section. The position in Northern
Maine seemed little stronger late in
February, although most sales were
made on the basis of $1.30 per 100
pound sack. The trade in that section
was encouraged by the continued good
distribution of table stock and by the
brisk demand for seed potatoes. Ger
titled cobblerS seem to be scarce and
sold as high as $3.25 or even $3.50 per
11-peck sack, while Green Mountains
brought $2.75 to SO. Maine shippers
are expecting active demand for seed
stock in March.
Nearly all the large Eastern markets
report potato supply and demand mod
crate and prices about steady Green
Mountains range SITS to $2l5 per 100
pounds and some Southern markets
reached $3.50 Canadian stock is slight
ly firmer, mostly above 81 per 9O-pound
SAX. New York round whites bring
$1.65 to $l.65 in most Eastern cities,
but reached top of $2.15 in Washington.
Dull, steady markets prevail at Western
shipping points.
Sweet Potatoes Selling Wen.
The limited supply of sweet potatoes
this season has brought the level of
prices well above those of year ago.
and the market has maintained itself
in firm position for some time. There
was little change in the market level
crate. or even light in a few markets,
and demand slow to fairly active. Della
ware and Maryland sweets of the Jer-
sey type brought SITS to $2.15 per
bushel In Eastern markets. New Jersey
sweets sold as high as 50 for best lots
in New York. Other markets quoted
from $2-25 to $275. North Carolina
Porto Ricans. in bushel hampers, sold
in six Eastern markets at 81 rs to 81 so,
and similar range prevailed on Geor-
gia stock. Tennessee Nancy Halls sold
at Sl.35 to $1.75. Virginia white yams
from the Eastern Shore region brought
1925 to s3.75 per barrel in Baltimore
and Philadelphia.
Prices Of onions seem to have gone
about as low as they could without
checking the rate of shipment, and the
price has been holding quite steady the
past few weeks, even advancing a little
in some Central Western producing
sections. Dizziness continues at West
ern New York onion shipping points.
with very little activity in the market.
Sales at IS cents are the rule for No. l
yellow stock in l00-pound sacks but
some, averaging larger, brought rs to
30 cents near the end of the month.
Western onion shipping districts report
steady dull markets without much
change in the price. Onions of the
Spanish type advanced cents In Col
orado shipping sections, and prices in
Western Michigan. were well sustained
at recent slight gains.
Cabbage Moves Slowly.
The demand for cabbage has been
very slow in Eastern producing Sec
tons and prices no more than holding
steady at the very low level prevailing.
Bulk Danish cabbage sold at $40 to
Sl1 per ton in the Rochester district.
while sacked stock ranged from $12
to $13. Carlot movement from New
York to near the end of February was
well above H. 900 cars, exceeding last
seasons output by nearly 400 carloads.
Dealers are not buying very freely
from the growers on account of the
condition of the general cabbage mar
ket. Some carloads are rolling on
consignment of joint account. About
two carloads of new cabbage are en-
tering the markets to each carload of
old stock. The new cabbage sells at
unusually low prices and depresses the
whole market. Texas round cabbage
sells at the rate of $50 to $40 per ton
in Northern markets, while old cabbage
from Western New York brings a wide
range of $40 TO $l3 for sales in bulk.
Carrots are another vegetable which
meets only slow demand this season.
Prices are low in producing sections
at so to SIS cents per 100 pounds.
Apple Experts Active.
The export trade in apples continues
TO be valuable balance for the general
market Recently, shipments from
Western New York producing sections
have been in the proportion OF about
one car for export TO every three for
the domestic market. The domestic de-
mand at present seems to be for lower
IL - T. f,.,.ft x,.a,{a ka Hn