Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
VEGETABLE PRICES
IN UPWARD TREND
Smaller Shipments Result in
Advance in Fruits
Also.


the first Of the month have been re-
spending little in the wholesale mar
kets to the lighter shipments of some
leading products, says the United States
Department Of Agriculture, Bureau OF
Agricultural Economics. Market News
Service. Peaches, which have COM
prised one-third of the carlots some
weeks, are moving in lighter volume
now and prices show advancing tenden-
cies in producing sections and in some
Northern cities Abundance OF peaches
has tended 10 lower the price OF apples.
The pear market opened fairly high for
the first arrivals. Eastern potato mar
kets 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 lar
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 western lettuce and cantaloupes.
Declining price features included East
ern lettuce and onions.
Peaches Selling Low.
Standard varieties Of late peaches.
largely the liberia from the CarolinaS
and Georgia have been selling in local
markets at unusually low prices, ranging
from rs cents TO $3.50 per bushel or six
basket carrier Nearly all large markets
report liberal to heavy supplies and slow
To moderate demand Lately the price
position has strengthened somewhat IN
response to decreasing supplies from
principal Southern shipping sections,
hut Georgia and North Carolina growers
still are getting only so to rs cents per
bushel. although demand is good at
shipping points and markets stronger
the first week Of August. Peach ship
ments we're still moving at the rate Oh
nearly 900 cars daily. Many growers
and Shippers have been holding ship
ments back as long as possible, hoping
that after the heavy movements from
Georgia and Arkansas were over market
conditions would improve for peaches
from the Carolinas and father North.
The fruit is ripening more slowly than
usual, probably because OF the dry
weather, The prevailing practice OF
packinp only the best quality, largest
size fruits, and the fact that prices In
producing sections are not much above
actual cost OF the basket picking and
packing, have had tendency to keep
the shipments down to some extent.
Demand for peaches seems to be good.
Chain stores have been featuring this
fruit for the past week or 10 days.
Shipments of Elbertas from the Caro-
linas are expected to continue rather
heavy through the second week OF
August.
Apple Sales Moderate.
The heavy Summer supply of peaches
took the edge from the apple market,
the prices being sometimes nearly equal
for the two leading fruits; but on the
whole the apples are necessarily selling
lower than peaches, having been quoted
as low as Is cents a buShel In some
markets, and not much of the fruit
is selling higher than 81, with bulk
Of sales not far from SO cents. Most
al the early apples this month are
from Delaware, Illinois and California,
but shipments are increasing from New
Jersey, Maryland and the Virginias.
Northeastern states are shipping more
lightly this year and their season Is
just beginning. Joobing range o. May
land, New Jersey and Delaware early
apples OF standard varieties was SO cents
to 81 the first week of August in New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Pitts
burgh Midwester1 apple markets fol-
lowed q similar range OF prices.
cantaEeupe Supply Liberal.
MARYLAND Eastern Shore is stih the
leading source Of supply Tor Eastern
cav,faIoifne markets. Maryland ana
SoeIau,are growers are expecting lighter
rrop than at first indicated, mainly
isscauze of the dry weather, but the
e,,overneuk of the cantaloupes has been
heavier than during the same time In
1910 Nv early August. the truck move
Snent had exceeded 10000 crates, OF
more than twice the shipments TO the
same time last season. euaEty o. Is
mtnniv at Eastern Shore shipping points
bas been rather good but several lots
81 rather ordinary quality appeared az
fhe salisbury auction block carry IN the
month and prices Slanted lower Win
saIes of good stock at $1.25 to s1.oO
per crate on pink-meated VarletieS.
Several cars of Eastern Shore canta-
loupes have been billed 70 PittSpufgn
ar,5 others to the Middle West. Truck
r,overnent TO Philadelphia and New York
has been heavy and many truckloaos
have been sent to smaller nearby mar
Eets The active season win not last
much longer, according 70 recent re-
rorts. unless the dry, hot speh Is re-
heved by rain.
Bulk Of the melon supply the first
mart Of August has been coming from
Georgia the Carolinas and texas. NeaI-
" All markets reported supply heaVy
from ureyious shipments and demand
SLOW. Much the same conditions pre-
vailed in producing sections. demand
was slow ct Georgia shipping points ano
vnarkefS weak and unsettled. Tendency
IN Northern markets the flrst week OF
August was toward lower average prices
with many sales of medium weight STOCK
CARROTS at $50 TO 5000.
Potatoes Decline and Recover.
Potatoes have been recovering a little
from the decline that occurred early In
the month. Underlying position has
lJeen improved because of the rather
Iighf shipments at the rate Of scarcely
more than 1000 cars weekly, but the
outuut from New Jersey the leading
EiIipptng section at present, Is beginning
~ increase again Low prices nave
tended to delay digging IN the later
potato districts. Receipts the flrst week
81 August were moderate in most East
ern markets. but demand was slow
nearly everywhere and there was some
accumulated supply on hand. Several
Eastern markets gained 10 cents OF
more per barrel Pittsburgh, Chicago,
Cleveland and Washington showed
price gains Boston and Philadelphia
markets were about steady and Baiti-
more quoted slightly lower prices on
Virginia and Maryland stock. New
Jersey and Long Island Cobblers were
firm In New York and other Northern
cities and some Midwestern markets
advanced
unfavorable growing conditions in
some parts Of the Central Northwest
sent prices upward on sales for future
delivery at Chicago. Northern round