Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-17
VEGETABLE SUPPLY
SHARPLY REDUCED
Car-Lot Shipments Much
Smaller, Due to Decline
in Prices.

and the decrease includes most OF the
leading products Of this kind, says the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, Bureau of Agricultural Econom-
les, Market News Service. Prices too
low to encourage active marketing sug-
gest the main reason FOR the falling
of in distant shipments. Smaller pro-
duction limits the movement OF onions,
cabbage, pears and Western grapes. In
oreasing shipment by motor truck has
reduced the number OF car lots from
some districts.
There is not much in the october
crop reports to affect the produce mar
kets. The estimates promise few more
potatoes than expected in September,
not quite so many sweet potatoes and
market apples and light production
Of Western grapes and OF onions. The
quality in general is about as good as
usual. None of the leading lines ex-
cept apples shows especially heavy pro-
duction this season. The market trou-
bic lies in the absence of confident
dealer buying and of brisk consuming
demand.
Apple Market Unsettled.
The apple market is going through
the interesting stage. Prices are be-
coming established in the large produc-
ing sections. and in the consuming mar
kets also. The harvest is we'll along,
the movement to cold storage Is be-
coming active and the car-lot shipments
are heavy, sometimes exceeding l,Oo0
cars daily from all sources. Disposal
of the large crop produced is one OF
the hard problems confronting pro-
ducers and retailers all along the line.
The Southern and Central apple regions
each have more than doubled their
market apple production. compared
with last season. The estimate for Viz
ginia fell of about 10 per cent, COM
pared with a month ago, but Is sui
not far from three times that OF last
season and similar gains occurred In
several Midwestern States. Estimated
market production is some four million
barrels more than last season and some
i've million more than the hve-year
average.
compared with october, 1880, showed
decreases in barrels but about the same
quantity in baskets and a sharp gain in
boxes. mostly in the Northwest. the
Middle Atlantic region has put away
ISL 600 baskets and the South Atlantic
States. $4,000.
The apple market has no sharp trend
either way. but was rather weak IN the
East near the. middle Of October. LID
eral supplies and slow demand de-
scribAd the position in most of the large
central markets New York Wealthys
sell at 65 cents to S1.25 per bushel IN
Eastern cities Greetings at 85 cents 10
s125. Mcintosh at $3.50 to Sl.75, and
Yorks brought only so cents to IS cents
in New York. Staymans sold at $l.lO IN
Boston. Sl15 in Philadelphia. ana on
cents to 65 cents in Baltimore. Maine
and Vermont Mcintosh sold as high as
SIS per barrel in New York and some
lots from New York State brought So.
Demand is slow in producing sections
and prices about steady. Baldwlns sell
at IS cents a buShel in Western New
York. and Greetings from cold storage
sell around 81. Standard varieties soIo
IN the Shenandoah Valley section at 70
cents to IS cents a bushel. Yorks in
barrel pack dropped Is cents to price
of S2.25 and carload of Grimes sold
at the same price.
Grapes and Pears.
The grape market showed somewhat
stronger action around the middle OF
the month, with firlner tone in Central
New York and other producing sections.
Demand was reported improving at
shipping points. New York and Penn
sylvania grapes sold at II cents to Is
cents per 4-quart basket In Eastern city
markets. with supply and demand gen
orally moderate Conditions were fairly
Haulings in the Chautauqua and Erie
district of New York were heavy to the
Juice factories, but light to packing
houses and trend of prices was slightly
upward in mid-October. with juice
grapes at S23 to S25 a ton. Concords
and Niagaras advanced in the Finger
Lakes diStl let, with demand active and
sales of Concords at $25 to S32 a ton.
Steady markets prevailed in Michigan
producing sections.
Shipments of Eastern pears are light
and supplies light to moderate in the
) large markets. Prices show an upward
tendency with choice varieties 81 and
$2.25 per bushel in Eastern cities. Dull
markets prevailed in Western New
York. Seckels brought SITS and New
York Kieffers sold at IS cents to 81 in
Eastern markets. Seckels brought most
" SITS to So in the cities, with top Of
S225 in Baltimore and Washington.
Potato Markets Weak
The trend of the potato market has
been downward this month nearly all
the time. Probably the increase of
nearly 100000 bushels in the Octo-
Der potato estimate compared with the
month before made little difference in
the course of prices. This increase may
be explained by more favorable weather
in several Eastern States and in the
upper lakes region, where long grow
ing season helped the crop. Carlot
shipments have kept along at a rate
about equal to the average consuming
requirements, but rather light for the
time of year when usually there is some
buying and storing for future require
ments. Most Of the large markets re-
port liberal supplies and moderate de-
mand. Many price changes near the
middle of the month were downward
NJ Maine
tains, the leading line in Eastern mar
kets, was 85 cents to 81 per 100 pounds,
but reached top of S1l5 in Washington
Pennsylvania cobblers brought rs cents
to IS cents. The Chicago market was
the strongest feature. with advance of
5 cents to 10 cents. Prices on sales for
January delivery declined slightly In
most markets. Prices in reducing Sec
tons showed a flrmer tendency in the
Middle West and Rocky Mountain re-
gion. but continued rather weak in
Northern Maine, where sales ranged as
low as IS cents to 40 cents per 100
pound sack. Buyers were reported
showing slightly more interest at West
ern New York shipping points.
Shipments Of sweet potatoes continue
fairly heavy from Eastern Shore pro-
ducing sections, where a dull steady
market prevails at 80 cents to 81 per
4 barrel Demand is slow also in the
large clues, ana markets are irregular
with most price changes downward and
a jobbing range of $l.25 to SITS per
barrel. New Jersey sweets bring Is
cents to 81 a bushel. Maryland and
Delaware stock sells as low as so cents
in some Eastern markets.
Onion Markets Firm.
Prices of onions have held better than
those on most other lines of produce
owing to the light supply of desirable
stock. Production is less than half that