Evening star., 1932-12-10
PRODUCE REFLECTS
SEASONAL SLUMP.
Usual Dull Period Seen Be.
tween Thanksgiving
and Yuletide.

The leading wholesale produce mar
kets show the dull conditions usually
seen during the weeks midway between
Thanksgiving and Christmas trading,
according to the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. Carlot shipments
so far this month are only 1000 per
week day. Receipts were light to mod
crate the first 10 days of December and
trading slow. Price movement Is tr-
regular, with no general trend on most
lines. Chicago potato market has lost
the greater part of the November gain,
but shows firmness at recent levels.
Country potato shipping points vary
from weak to firm, but some Eastern
markets show further small advances.
Onions generally are holding recent
slight upturns fairly well. but cabbage
has lost part of the rise because of
more shipments and some new South
ern competition, especially from South
Carolina and Texas. Dull, weak mar
ketS are the rule for sweet potatoes.
Celery is lower. Supplies Of spinach
are liberal from Texas, but decreasing
from Southern Virginia, and prices
show Q weak trend. Apples are one of
the firm market features and show
more price gains than losses in the
East and South.
Apple Markets Firm.
Prices of apples still are somewhat
irregular. but, on the whole, are being
well maintained. Eastern bushel and
barrel packs seem to be in good posi-
ton, with decreasing shipments, mod
crate storage holdings and some varie-
ties comparatively scarce. Southern
apples such as York and Stayman have
made considerable price gains in Vir-
ginia and West Virginia during the
past few weeks
Markets in Eastern producing Sec
tions are about steady and those in
the Pacific Northwest fairly well sus-
tained. Such varieties as Baldwin,
Stayman and Rome sell at 81 to $1.25
per bushel basket on cold storage stock
at country shipping points. Sales Of
Greening and King from common
storage are quoted around 30 cents in
Western New York. Barrel sales of
apples range from 50 TO So or more.
Greetings are quoted in Eastern city
markets at a steady range Of prices
from rs cents to 81. Connecticut Bald
wins bring IS to rs cents in New York,
Eastern Mcintosh sell at 81 to SIPS
In several markets and Grimes and
Jonathans IS cents to $125. Spys
tSoSheo 10Y VI $o.io per DdrTel III NeW
York and Vermont Mcintosh $3.50.
Maine Starks and Greetings sold at
50 per barrel in New York and Pitts
burgh. Exporters say that the high
English tariff rate, together with de-
Ginning English currency has placed
an almost prohibitive barrier on ex-
port movement at this time. Many
Eastern apples are being shipped to
Middle Western markets where prices
average somewhat higher than in East
ern cities. On the whole, the apple
market presents q firm appearance de-
spite the somewhat unsettled and un-
satisfactory condition Of the foreign
trade. The slow demand prevailing In
most OF the great markets Is q weak
feature.
Potato Prices Irregular.
The potato markets so far this month
have shown stronger action in the East
than in the Middle West. Chicago and
other Central Western cities have lost
about cents of the November gain.
but are rather firm at the present
level. Some Eastern markets continued
10 gain through the first 7 days of
the month and the recent gains were
hrmly held In some Eastern producing
sections. Growers in Western New York
are receiving about 2 cents less than
recent top price, few of the buyers paw
ing over % cents per bushel in bulk
at present. Recent price advances in
Maine have offered Western New York
Shippers larger opportunity to sell to
NeW YORK City receivers and more than
the usual number of cars have been
shipped to that point.
Shipments from Maine connnrise
about half the total potato movement
some days. But even the Maine ship
mentS Tor the season have been fuilv
one-tnird below those of q year ago
ana the same is true Of the total potato
movement. Maine growers seem in
chned to hold for 81 per barrel in
DuIk, out the current price Is not much
aOove % cents and dealers sell at
% 70 % cents per 100-pound sacks,
compared with 81 to GA cents In West,
ern New York. Markets are slow and
larry steady In both sections so far
s.ils month. Light shipments of Maine
seocks nave been made into Ohio. West
as well as to the usual markets elonr
the seaboard. Ae
,, oWeet potatoes are in light to rather
nperaI supply, demand is generally sIou,
ana ana prices on Eastern stock still in
ciiieo 10 sag OF little. BusheI nack
oI Jersey type from New JERSEY sells
IN eastern cities at so cents To sI
MaIyiand and Delaware sweets ara
quoCeo at 40 to so cents, although
nouSe-stored stock sells higher. IN to
o. Barrel pack from the Eastern Shore
~ virginia ranges so cents to 81 in
DDaItimore, Philadelphia, New York and
nioSIon, i,s put reached Sl25 for best lots
In Pittsburgh. '''' Ao'S
Onions Fairly Steady.
shipments OF onions increased on,v
moderately along with the slight ad,
salice OF prices early in the month and
the central markets have ayera M oaJ
IarIy steady. Most sales in tbs c,t,.
markets range from IS to 55 cents
per 30 pounds for Eastern yeIIou
sCocK. Some lots from the Middle West
are gooo enough to bring so cents
NearIy all cities report supplies mod
erate and demand slow. The range in
western New York Is around IS Cents
per % pounds for No. yellow stock
Although the onion crop is large. the
to.aI movement this season is con-
sloerabiy under that Of a year ago be-
Sause demand Is poor, prices low and
these price levels. ''
VA AICH CIOp TAT western
carrots are exceeding those of last seq
son. Most OF the old carrots are from
western New York, but the output of
these is only a little more than half
the corresponding shipments of last
year. A limited amount of business
1or carlots of unwashed stock in 100
pound sacks is being transacted in the
Rochester district at AZ to so cents.
The celery market Is somewhat de-
moranzed In Eastern producing sec
IONS. Supplies are fully $4,000 crates
larger than in mid-December last sea-
son, ana some shippers believe more or
less stock will be abandoned for storage
charges since present sales through
brokers do not exceed 80 cents for best
offerings Colder weather NAV helm
the situation. City markets also show
a weak tone on jobbing sales of celery.
which now bring from rs cents to
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