Milford chronicle., 1931-08-21

Since the appearance of the crop
reports for August, the produce
market has been adjusting itself
somewhat to the changes in prOduc-
tion prospects. Potato and onion
prices already have discounted part
of the damage from drouth and heat,
but price tendency was still upward
near the middle of the month. Most
of the truck crops suffered injury
during midsummer and growing
condition is generally below the ten
year average, aside from some re-
covery since the scattered rainfall
that occurred after the reports
were made. Carlot shipments are
about as usual for the time of year,
although the potato movement is
less than last season. Shipments of
fruits continue liberal in line with
the generally heavy production of
apples, peaches and melons. Prices
of the fruits and near fruits were
unusually low, but they have not
changed much so far this month.
Potato Position Favorable
The market position of potatoes
now and for some time to come is
likely to continue favorable to pro-
ducers on account of the reduction
in the crop estimate, as well as the
rather light output at the rate of
about 1000 cars weekly. Most of the
Mid-season shipping sections have
turned out lighter crops than eX-
pected. Prices have shown some re-
covery from the lowest points of
the month, especially at western
market centers. Eastern markets
are steady to firm on such leading
lines as New Jersey and Maryland
CObblers. Prices advanced 10 to %
cents at New York, Boston, Pitts
burgh and other cities. General job
bing range of Virginia and Maryland
Eastern Shore potatoes in half
dozen of the leading markets is
1925 to $2.75 per barrel. Pennsyl-
vania stock brought $l.5O per 100
pounds in Pittsburgh. Leading Island
potatoes advanced 10 cents per 100
pounds in New York, reaching $l.25
to $140. New Jersey is now the
leading eastern shipping section,
supplying about half the daily car
lots. This stock brings $1.15 to
$1.65 pper 100 pounds in eastern
markets. Limited receipts and mod
crate demand are reported at New
York and Boston, while in other
cities supplies are moderate and
trade slow. Slowly rising markets
prevail at New Jersey and Long Is
land country shipping points, with
prices quoted at $1.05 to $1.20 per
100 pounds near the middle of Au-
gust. Middle western country mar
kets were fairly steady after the
advances earlier in the month.
Sweet potatoes are in moderate
supply and only fair demand in
eastern markets. The season is grad
ually working northward, with in
creasing shipments from the Nor
folk section. A few small lots have
been shipped from the Eastern
Shore of Virginia, but the carlot
from that district will be
rather light until the last part of
August. North Carolina and Vir-
ginia potatoes are quoted at $S.25 to
81 per barrel in eastern cities. Vir-
ginia stock in bushel baskets
brought $2.15 to $2.25 in Cleveland.
Prices were about steady the second
week of August.
Onion Trade Confident
Although present market supplies
of onions are fairly liberal from the
good mid-seasOn output,
the market has been strengthening
lately because of reported poor con-
dition of the late crop, especially in
the Middle West where returns in
dicate decreases of one-third to
one-half compared with last sea-
sons excellent production. Fore
casts for II main-crOp states show
13,846,OOO bushels, which would be
about one-third less than year
ago, the expected output having
been reduced in every important
state. Equally significant is the
to small sizes in the mid
die western and western producing
sections, and also in some eastern
onion districts. These unfaVorable
are not likely to be
helped very much by rains so late
in the growing season, and prem
lum is in prospect on large onions
suitable for storage. Injury was
mostly from dry weather and ex-
IRENE heat. Insect pests caused
some trouble in the East. Tone of
the onion market, like that of pO-
tatoes, has been encouraging to
producers. Supplies are light in
and Baltimore and
moderate elsewhere. Trade cOntin-
les slow but prices have been adj