Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-02
INCREASED POTATOT
PRICES REPORTED
Upward Trend Is General.
Other Farm Products
Values Are Firmer.


year was the countrywide upward
tendency of potato prices, says the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture Bureau of Agricultural Economies,
Market News Service. The gains we're
not large. but the prevalence of the
upward trend in producing sections
from Maine to, Idaho suggested that
the lcng period of moderate cerlot
shipments was beginning to take effect
on the market position. IL is too soon
to say that the strength of the potato
MARKET is response to general under
y ing conditions but the fact is that
with production about the same prices
have been much lower than they were
a year ago, leaving considerable room
Tor price advance according to avail
able supply.
Nearly all potato markets report sup
plies moderate or light and demand
fairly good. Many price 2ains of
to 10 cents per 100 pounds occurred
the last week Of December. Maine
Green Mountains have been selling at
$1.80 to $2.l0 per 100 pounOS in East
ern markets. Long Island stock reached
$3.50 in Washington. and Western New
York stock sold as high as S2,35 in
Atlanta, but was generally under So.
The Chicago market advanced further
around January l, with sales of Md
western potatoes at $3.50 to S170 q
carlot. Prices held firmly in Northern
Maine and recent advances were well
sustained in Western New York and
the upper Great Lakes region. Firm
markets prevailed in the shipping Sec
tons of the Rocky Mountain States,
Growers appeared to be expecting some
further improvement in potato market
conditions after the first of The year,
although most of them were net look
ing for any large or rapid rise.
Sweet Potatoes Higher.
Sweet potatoes, as we'll as the white
kind were selling higher near the end
of the year, although Tennessee Nancy
Halls did not advance with the rest,
owing perhaps to the heavy supply
comprising about one-fourth of the
daily carlot shipments. Delaware and
Maryland sweets followed a price range
of 81 so to Sl.75 per bushel in late De-
cember in Eastern markets. Supplies
were moderate in most markets, but
rather light in Boston, Baltimore and
Kansas City Demand continued fairly
good everywhere North and South
Carolina Porto Ricans sold at 81 to
$1.5O. New Jersey stock brought SITS
to $2.75. Carlot shipments tended to
decrease. amounting now to less than
so cars daily.
Onions Tend Lower.
The general tendency of the onion
market was slightly downward around
the years end. owing mainly to slight
declines at some Western shipping
points. Prices have been holding steady
in Eastern producing sections at soc
per 100 pounds. Eastern onions sold
about unchanged in the large city mar
kets, although Midwestern onions
showed slightly downward slant The
general run of Eastern yellow onions
brought 81 to $1.20 per 100 pounds.
Spanish type onions from the Far West
ranged SIPS to $1.75 in Eastern mar
kets. Market supplies continue mod
crate and demand rather SLOW
About one-fourth of the cabbage sup
ply is from the South at present, but
markets are controlled mainly by sup
plies of stored cabbage from Western
New York and Wisconsin. Northern
cabbage is in moderate supply in city
markets, but demand, like that for
most other vegetables, is reported rather
unsatisfactory. Prices have not changed
much around the first of the year, al
though producers in Wisconsin we're
receiving about 81 more per ton. There
were steady conditions in New York
shipping sections and steady range of
prices in the large Eastern markets at
$50 to $25 for bulk cabbage by the ton.
A few lots of red cabbage sold as high
as $50 in New York, but demand was
extremely limited. Prices are well
maintained on Southern cabbage be-
cause of a let-up in the shipments.
Prices of celery tended upward near
the end of the year, md demand was
reported good at Western New York
shipping points. Sales in Eastern mar
kets followed range CT $3.50 to 1925
for best stock. Some rather ordinary
lots of Eastern celery sold as low as
SITS per crate in Philadelphia. New
S3.75 a crate in few Northern cities.
Prices of California celery are un-
changed
Apple Shipments Light.
Eastern country markets on Rhode
Island Greening apples we're strong
late in December, with sales at S1.35
S1.40 to $1.50. Carlot shipments are
now less than 200 daily. about two
thirds of them from the Northwest.
Shipments of truck crops from
Southern Florida were rather light
near the end of the year. The heavy
rainfall and the holidays were mainly
responsible for the reduced activity. As
a result of the rainfall, the quality of
the tomatoes coming from early ship
ping sections during the first part of
January may be only fairly good.
Dealers have hesitated to buy, and
much of the business in producing Sec
lions has been on consignment. Pro-
vided there is no further damage, ship
ments of tomatoes should increase dur
ing January. but probably will not be
very heavy until February from Florida.
Probably the damage to string beans
in the district around Pompano. Fla,
will cut the yield as much as 80 per
cent. Receipts of string beans have
been light and prices higher than at
any time during the past two seasons.