Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-15

shipments OF fruits ana vegetables
, are beginning to increase again after
the dizziness usual around the first Of
the year, but daily receipts, according
to reports by the United States Bureau
Of Agricultural Economics, are still only
about 1000 carloads and the seasons
output so far is less than it was a year
ago by about one-siXth. Business de-
preston continues to affect both volume
and prices.
The general list compares unfavorably
with market value as quoted a year ago
except on onions, cabbage and lettuce,
and even these special lines which have
been influenced by crop shortage or de-
: lay are not all showing the market
strength noted earlier in the month.
mid January found prices irregular, but
! holding well on potatoes and onions.
| Lettuce shipments are increasing and
prices weakening. Cabbage tends lower
! because of irregular quality of old stock
and the increase of Southern shipments.
| Other lines of produce show no distinct
| change in trend.
Recent liberal supplies of low priced
strawberries from Florida were the re-
suit of warm weather which fastened
| the crop in that section. Strawberries
are likely to be abundant the coming
season so far as acreage is concerned,
although the increase of ID per cent
compared with last year does not bring
the total up to the large area planted
| to the crop several years ago, but in the
| ate-shipping Northern and Western
| States the bearing acreage is consider
ably larger than for many years past.
Onion Prices Hold.
Action on the onion market has been
an interesting feature because OF the
| long continued strength in contrast
with frequent price declines in many
other directions. Since the first of the
month city markets and the producing
sections have reported numerous gains
and prices have doubled since october.
Rather heavy shipments toward the
middle of this month have limited de-
mand at shipping points, but holders
report no price decline, and the tend
ency still appears upward. Average at
| shipping stations East and West is
somewhat above So per so pounds for
| the yellow varieties and variations from
| that level are mainly according to size
and condition. In some districts pres
| ent shipments represent orders booked
| delivery contracts Much Of the cur
rent supply includes many understood
onions.
Like most lines of storage holdings
this year, onions are showing early ma
turity and considerable shrinkage. The
largest size grown from best seed are
reported keeping with only normal
shrinkage, and such stock, no
doubt is being held in considerable
| quantities for the further price ad-
| vances, which some holders are conf
IDENTIFY expecting during closing months
of the season. Trade estimates on
which such opinions are based indicate
| holdings available for shipment not very
much more than half those of year
| ago. The total carlot output of onions
| from the late crop this season is 5000
cars under that of last season to date.
The early Southern crop, which
reaches Northern markets in the Spring,
| has been literally planted this year, but
considerable part of the Texas crop
is likely to be late on account of weather
| conditions. Imports as yet have not
amounted to serious competition. In
! fact, receipts from foreign countries at
| times have been exceeded by shipments
| of domestic onions to markets in Latin
| America and the Philippines.
! Prices of onions at New York and
Philadelphia the middle of January
were still advancing slowly. Nearly all
! leading markets report moderate sup
, plies and. slow demand, but steady or
| stronger price conditions. Track hold
| ings in the large cities have shown a
! tendency to increase so far this month,
and shipments are fairly liberal from
| New York State and the Middle West,
but light from other sections. Boston
| reported heavy supplies and prices
5-10c lower. Baltimore market also
weakened. White onions snow an ad-
vancing trend and the same is true OF
! Spanish onions in some markets.
Potatoes Fairly Steady.
Prices of potatoes at Eastern ship
! ping points were holding fairly we'll
near the middle Of January retaining
! part of the small gains reported early
in the month. The weak feature was
tendency to increased shipments from
most producing sections, tending to
| correct the comparative short holdings
on track at city markets. Demand is
| fairly good at shipping points. Prices
hold around 75c per 100 pounds for
sacked stock in Western New York.
This package has been more prominent
this season than the 15O-pound sack.
Prices to growers are around 25-3Oc
bulk per bushel, but recently the SOC
figure has been more in evidence. The
wide distribution Midwest shipping
points report quiet, fairly steady con-
ditions. Maine shippers have been able
to hold the recent advance of about lOc
and sales have ranged 5O-53c per 100
pounds at shipping points. Results OF
the attempted regulation OF market sup
plies in Maine producing sections is
still uncertain. Progress OF this move
ment will no doubt be rejected in tone
of markets in some other parts OF the
country. The mild open weather this
Winter has left the roads open for
motor travel and the volume of potatoes
moved by truck have been quite heavy.
Prices of Maine potatoes in city mar
kets show a somewhat irregular trend,
but general jobbing range remains about
the same at SLIPS, although Washing
ton and some Southern markets report
ed tops above that range. New YORK
round white varieties sell in Baltimore
and Pittsburgh at $l$1.05 Pennsylvania
stock sells mostly below 81 in Balti-
| more. Midwestern markets are about
steady and prices on sales for March
! delivery hold nearly unchanged at Chi
| cago.
Sweet Potatoes Irregular.
The market for sweet potatoes shows
slightly irregular trend of prices and
there are few gains except on certain
lines of Eastern stock from storage
houses Receipts are liberal at New
York but moderate elsewhere and de-
mand is dull in Eastern cities. Virginia
sweets of the Jersey type bring 1880
STOCK AND B(
BY the Ass,
4