Evening star., 1932-06-04
markets.
CONTINUE LOWER
Prices Remain Weak Despite
Moderate Shipments of
Fresh Vegetables.


conditions prevailing in early June,
and prices like those of many other
commodities tended mostly downward.
says the United States Department of
Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, Market News Service. Sup
plies Of fruits and vegetables scarcely
could be termed excessive. They tend to
increase as usual with the progress of
the season, but carlot movement is 20
per cent less than it was a year ago.
Lower prices seem to result mainly from
the limited demand Strawberry
markets suffer from the irregular and
variable quality of the crop. Lower
grades OF the fruit have been selling at
some country shipping points at about
the cost OF shipping and packing Much
the same Is true of potatoes selling in
producing sections for about enough to
cover harvesting and marketing ex-
penses. Most products are selling lower
than they were year ago. One ex-
ceptlon is cabbage, which has been in
moderate supply for some time and
holds prices well at double the quota
tions OF year ago In some markets.
Strawberries Selling Lower.
Shipments Of strawberries were in
creasing in early June from the mid
season sections and prices have reached
extremely low levels in some districts,
but were holding fairly well in others
because Of light local production or
because OF premium on desirable quality
and choice varieties. The berry crop
was delayed somewhat in the second
early States on account of weather con-
ditions. but seems to have fully caught
up with last year by this time. and the
supplies were reaching the market from
as far north as New Jersey the first
week Of June. Present rate of ship
ment is greater than that of early
June Of last year as might be expected
from the larger production In the mid
season and late sections. Most Of the
markets, including the large Eastern
cities, report liberal supplies, moderate
demand and irregular course of prices.
A range of 4 to 10 cents quart basis
seems to cover most sales to the jobbing
trade, $125 to 81 per 32-quart crate.
Maryland and Delaware fruit sold at
7 to II cents in Boston and lower else
elsewhere. Virginia Eastern Shore Mis-
sionarys sold at 4 to 10 cents in several
markets. Not much fruit from the Nor
folk section brought more than Z cents.
Similar prices were quoted in mid
tions. A year ago, general range OF
jobbing price was to Is cents.
Truck Movement Heavy.
Shipments by motor truck have been
quite heavy from the Eastern Shore
section of Virginia and Maryland.
Some of the local strawberry shippers
have stated that probably rs per cent
of the crop will move by truck this
season During the period for which
figures on truck shipments are avail
able the movement has amounted to
about 80 per cent of the sections total
shipments this season. This includes
only the trucks passing through Della
ware, but some fruit has been trucked
across Chesapeake Bay into Washing
ton and Baltimore. Auction sales in
Eastern Shore districts sold at range
of S1.50 to 50 per 32-quart crate for the
most part, but some of the large va
rietieS brought So One of the new
varieties, the Blakemore, is reported to
have the flavor and shipping quality
of the Missionary with the large size
of the Premier. Prices at local auc-
tions usually have been at a premium
over Premier or Missionary. Acreage
of this variety was not large. Straw
berry production in 10 late-shipping
States is forecast at 9 per cent more
than last years crop. Increases are
expected, except In New York and
Pennsylvania. but the gains in pro-
duction are by no means as large as
were reported in the midSeason region.
Supplies of watermelons show fairly
rapid increase in northern markets, but
arrivals have not been heavy enough
to compete much with strawberries.
DIT mi hilf OF
of June shippers in Florida
were getting the equivalent of about
80 cents per medium sized melon ant
northern markets were selling them .
so to IS cents wholesale. Shipmens
of melons and cantaloupes are incres-
ing with the progress of the season, ut
the cantaloupe movement has ben
lighter than it was year ago. Sp-
plies of early varieties of peaches eom
Georgia are expected soon, but the;rop
in Georgia and Carolinas is crafty
reduced from the large production OF .
year ago The southern Georgia crop
is reported particularly light, pssibly
not more than one-sixth of th 1881
production.
Apples are still moving in cnslder-
able quantity from New York, !lrglnla
and Washington, but shipment 90 not
include the supplies taken fpm local
cold storages There is still jome de-
mand for good fruit and pices hold
up we'll for Virginia Newtop, or Pip
pins, and Winesaps at $l.9 to "
bushel A few Romes brouht as high
as $150 In Philadelphia. ther varie-
ties range from 81 to $1.2t
Potatoes Lowe.
Most Eastern potato mrkets tended
toward lower prices at tn beginning OF
June. owing mainly to more liberal
supplies of Southern potatoes. but
shipments of old Nortern stock still
comprised about half the receipts.
Midwestern markets wee holding much
better than Eastern. dsine was ship
ping heavily to Easern cities and
prices declined to newlew levels, rang
ing from 75c to s125n jobbing sales.
although a few Soutlen markets still
quoted tops of Sl50 Conditions were
dull and weaker in Northern Maine,
with few sales as cw as Is cents per
100 pounds for sackf stock at shipping
points, but prevailht price the first Of
the month was 80 ents. Maine ship
mentS are now oIte close to 10000
carloads and they continue at a much
more active rate fAn last season, sup
plying about orekhird of the daily
market receipts d potatoes.
South Carolini leads in current out
put of new poabes and supplies are
moderate as yt, but demand is slow
and most price ,langes in late May and
early June wee downward. South
Carolina CobbEs sold at 1925 to s425
per barrel in gFthern cities and North
Carolina potaes Of similar grade fol-
lowed close t. these prices. Conditions
are quiet in most Southern producing
sections ane price changes are down.
ward, with SHE'S around SO per barrel
at North CIIrlina shipping points
Prices of hbbage have been holding
better thai those of most other vege-
tables ant general average is higher
than it w year ago. Much stock
was selling then in Northern markets
at so b. rs cents per III -bushel
hamper, compared with the recent
range of1 to $1.25 on cabbage from
Virginia ind the Carolinas, but some
lots are elling below 81 in few mar
ketS,