Milford chronicle., 1931-08-14

Prices of fruits and vegetables
since the first of the month have
been responding a little in the
wholesale markets to the lighter
shipments of some leading products.
Peaches, which have comprised one
third of the carlOts some weeks, are
moving in lighter volume now and
prices show advancing tendencies in
producing sections and in some
northern cities. Abundance of
peaches has tended to lower the
price of apples. The pear market
opened fairly high for the first ar
rivals. Eastern potato markets
strengthened slightly under receipts
which have been rather light for the
time of year, but shipments are
again increasing from New Jersey,
now the leading shipping section.
Total produce shipments are not
far from those of corresponding
dates last season. Shipments of
peaches and melons, although past
the height of activity, are still
heavy. Price gains were mainly on
peaches, watermelOns and on west
ern lettuce and cantaloupes. De-
clining price features included east
ern lettuce and onions.
Peaches. Selling Low
Standard varieties of late peaches,
largely the Elberta from the Caro-
linas and Georgia, have been selling
in local markets at unusually low
prices, ranging from rs cents to
$1.50 per bushel or 6-basket carrier.
Nearly all large markets report. lib
eral to heavy supplies and slow to
moderate demand. Lately the price
position has strengthened some
what in response to decreasing sup
plies from principal southern ship
ping sections, but Georgia and North
Carolina growers still are getting
only so to rs cents per bushel al
though demand is good at shipping
points and markets stronger the first
week of August. Peach shipments
were still moving at the rate of
nearly 1000 cars daily. Many grow
ers and shippers have been holding
back as long as possible,
hoping that after the heavy move
ments from Georgia and Arkansas |
we're over, market conditions would
improve for peaches from the Caro-
Iinas and farther North. The fruit |
is ripening more slowly than usual, |
because of the dry wealth |
or. The prevailing practice of pack
ng only the best quality, largest |
size fruits and the fact that prices |
n producing sections are not much |
tbove actual cost of the basket, |
picking and packing, have had ten
lency to keep the shipments down
o some extent. Demand for peaches I
seems to be good. Chain stores have |
,een featuring this fruit for the past
week or ten days. Shipments of Ell
Dertas from the Carolinas are eX-
Dected to continue rather heavy
through the second week of August
Lpple Sales Moderate
The heavy summer supply of
,eaches took the edge from the ap-
lie market, the prices being some
lines nearly equal for the two lead
ng fruits; but on the whole the ap-
lies are necessarily selling lower
han peaches, having been quoted
S low as 25 cents a bushel in some
markets, and not much of the fruit
5 selling higher than 81, with bulk
f sales not far from so cents. Most
f the early apples this month are
rom Delaware, Illinois and Cali
0rnia, but shipments are increas-
lg from New Jersey, Maryland and
he Virginias. Northeastern States
re shipping more lightly this year ;
nd their season is ust beginning.
obbing range of Maryland, New
ersey and Delaware early apples of
tandard varieties was so cents to
| the first week of August in New !
ork, Boston, Philadelphia and
ittsburgh. Midwestern apple mar
cts followed a similar range of
rices.
Supply Liberal
Maryland Eastern Shore is still
le leading source of supply for {
astern cantaloupe markets. Mary E
md and Delaware growers are ex- {
Getting a lighter crop than at first {
ldicate, mainly because of the dry !
Gather, but the movement of can t
lloupes has been heavier than dur |
lg the same time in 1880. By early l
ugust, the truck movement had ex- {
seded 100000 crates, or more than