Milford chronicle., 1931-10-09
WEEKLY PRODUCE
MARKET NOTES

Market supplies OF IreSn pTOuuCe
seem large enough for the demand
although carlot shipments of fruits
and vegetables are still about one
fourth less than for the same weeks
last year Demand is reported rath-
the dull in the large eastern cities
early in October. Low prices tend
to hold back the long distance move
ments and few lines, including
cabbage and onions in some pro-
ducing sections and turning out to
be short crops while others are
nearing the end of their active sea-
son.
Prices as a group have not been
able to resist the continued down.
ward trends of the commodity mar
kets. Onions, peaches, pears and
western grapes made further gains
or recoveries around the first of the
month These products are in
strong condition because of light
production of limited current sup
ply. Apple prices continue irregu-
lar without clear trend either way.
Declines were shown for potatoes,
cabbage. and eastern celery and
grapes mainly, it seems, because OF
lack of brisk demand. Prices OF
some products compare well with
those. of a year ago. These include
enions and celery which are selling
much higher than in October, 1880.
Sagging Potato Markets
The potato markets are leading
feature now as the most active part
of the late crop shipping season be-
gins. Season shipments of the main
crop are falling short, about one
third compared with last year. Pro-
duction is reported not much heav-
Ter this season, but the price action
has been surprisingly weak, show
ing a persistently downward trend
despite the light shipments. The
price level in some producing sec
tions has dropped to about one-third |
of the prices prevailing during the
early part of last season. Such quo
tations as 80 to 35c per 100 pounds
at country shipping points in the
East and Far West suggest little
buying power.
Shipments of potatoes have shown
a tendency to increase around the
first of the month, running 700 to
500 cars per day in contrast to not
over 600 through most of September.
Maine has been heading the list al
though growers in that section are
reported having arranged to store
as much of the crop as they could
put into the space available. The
greater part of the crop is still I'M
dug and exposed to danger of an
early freeze. Prices in the Pressure
Isle district have held only fairly
we'll, growers being paid as little as
40 to SOC per barrel in bulk, but
sacked stock is steady at 75c per
100 pounds. Eastern city markets
report moderate supply and light
demand. Most price changes were
downward around the first of the
month with occasional declines of
5 to 10c per 100 pounds and a gem
eral iobbing range of SOC to $1.20
on Maine Green Mountains. New
York potatoes brought 81 to $I1O,
Virginia Cobblers were unchanged
at $2.75 to $2.85 per barrel i'll At
lanta. New Jersey and Pennsylva-
MIA stock sold at 85c to $1.15 al
though higher tops were reported in
Washington, Detroit and southern
markets. Chicago and midwestern
markets are fairly steady. Sales for
January delivery declined 2 to sc
near the first of the month.
Country markets on sweet pota-
toes recovered a little near the first
of the month. Sales from the Eas-
tern Shore producing sections were
at $1.50 per barrel or SOC per bush
ell. Bulk of the carlot shipments
are from Virginia, but New Jersey
and Long Island are shipping mod
erately. Supplies in most city mar
kets are not excessive and demand
is fairly good. Jobbing prices of
and Delaware stock range
so to 75c bushel. North Carolina
Porto Ricans declined 10 in Wash
ington. Virginia Eastern Shore
sweets ranged $1.50to $2.25 per bar
rel in eastern markets.
Onion Markets Gain
The good underlying condition of
the union market and the fairly
steady nature of the demand for this
product result in much stronger
market action than is the rule for
most other vegetables this season.
Prices have responded quite well to
reports of comparative shortage of
desirable market and storage stock
and some further price gains were
reported around the first of the
month. Sales at country shipping
points in western New York some
times exceed 50 per 100 pounds, full
ly double the price of year ago
Sizes this season are not averaging
as large as they did last year al
.hough the East is favored with a
crop of larger onions than the mid
lie West. Carlot sales of stock two
inches and larger are mostly at IS
TO Csc per so pounds. Supplies are
moderate and demand fair in most
Of the large cities. New York and
onions sell at 81 to
S1.25 per 50-pound sack in large lots
n eastern markets.
Cabbage Fairly Steady
Eastern cabbage markets are fair
y steady in producing sections. The
position in the East is rather unsat-
sfactory, partly owing to variable
luality of the crop. Growers in wes-
ern New York are getting only S5
o So per ton in bulk for the domes-
ic varieties, and 81 to So for the
Danish cabbage. Prices were irregu-
ar in the large markets early in
october, but general jobbing prices
lid not change much. following