Evening star., 1932-12-21
VEGETABLE PRICES
IN HIGHER RANGE
Eggs and Butter Also I'm.
prove as Receipts Be-
come Smaller.

Among the stronger lines Of farm
products during the Christmas whole
sale market period around the middle
OF December were eggs, butter and veg
etableS, says the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture Bureau of Agricul-
tural Economics, Market News Service.
Supplies of these became lighter on ar
rival of severe Winter weather. Re-
serve holdings were light to moderate
and az den demand seasonably good Prices
OF these products tended Sharply up
ward in some instances. Spot cotton
was back again to a 6-cent basis. show
ing a considerable recovery. Poultry
Was in active demand. tending slightly
higher in city markets, although the
price level in producing sections was
not encouraging. Grains, cattle and
hogs reached still lower levels, in line
with dull, weak markets for meat prod
uctS.
Firm Poultry Market.
Poultry markets ruled full steady and
prices on most classes were about l cent
higher near the middle of December,
but the tone was barely steady at the
advance and some price setbackS oc-
Cured later. The demand was for stock
OF fine quality. The poor and lighter
classes, especially Leghorn chickens and
fowls, were generally neglected.
The turkey market has proved decid-
eoly unsettled. Some operators had in
mind the unsatisfactory outcome of the
Thanksgiving market period and felt
that prices Christmas week were little
too high Others were in doubt whether
the expected heavy supplies would reach
the market and were inclined to hold
to a slightly higher level Turkeys
for Christmas trade were selling in New
York on Southwestern No. young hens
and toms at 16al6l2 cents, Westerns
17l2 cents and Northwestern 18 cents
Prices paid producers at country points
have averaged about cents under those
paid for turkeys month ago and about
II cents below the level Of the 1881
market. Producers were getting 7a10
cents IN the West and Southwest and
14a18 cents in the East. Apparently the
market movement OF turkeys has been
fully as heavy as during the same time
a year ago and holdings in storage
were more than double those of Decem-
ber last year.
Eggs Sell Higher
The lighter production of eggs since
the beginning of the severe Winter
weather was reflected in reduced re-
celpts at the largest city markets and
prices could easily have advanced still
further except for the limited demand.
Butter Markets Gain.
The butter markets developed consid-
cradle strength in mid-December and
prices advanced sharply under light
supply, good demand and favorable re-
ports on cold storage holdings. The
largest shrinkage in arrivals occurred in
New York and that market was the
first to develop strength. The weather
was decidedly unfavorable for milk
production, on account Of low tempera-
lures and snow. and dealers were eX-
pecting a lighter make Of butter of
somewhat less satisfactory quality. The
figures on cold storage holdings indicate
fairly heavy Withdrawals and were con-
sidered quite satisfactory to the trade
The Chicago market on sales for future
delivery made gains of l cent or more
and dealers appeared more confident
although inclined to use caution.
Fresh cheese held steady at generally
unchanged prices, while the cured and
held styles continued firm, with asking
prices fractionally higher. Recent d.
versions of mil, from city markets to
cheese making has increased the cheese
output considerably in Wisconsin, New
York and some other sections. Produc-
tion is now prCDaDly as large as II was
year ago.
Some Vegetables Higher.
Extremely cold weather in many
parts Of the country prevented haulings
of fruits and vegetables, and prices ad
vanced on some products. Round white
varieties of potatoes in Western New
York reached 70 cents per 100 pounds
sacked. Midwestern shipping points
were steady to higher. Chicago carlot
market held recent gains, with top about
80 cents. Tomatoes advanced nearly
everywhere. Rhode Island Greening
apples were about steady in Western
New York at 1880 cents, while Bald
wins advanced to S1.20. There was little
change in the Middle West, while the
Pacific Northwest reported a generally
lower level on apples around the middle
of the month Price of celery was ad-
vanced following the freeze in Cali
hat sy7