Evening star., 1932-06-29
PRODUCE MARKETS
IN NARROW TREND
Gains in Live Stock Prices
Tend to Offset Decline
in Wheat

Sharp price gains in live stock in late
June were a strong offset, from the
farm income viewpoint, to the declines
in. the wheat market, says the United
States Department of Agriculture, Bu-
reau of Agricultural Economics, Market
News Service other price changes
were not at all extreme. Dairy and
poultry products continue unsettled with
slightly downward trend. Fruits and
vegetables mostly tend to sell lower with
the progress of the season. Millfeeds
are irregular in recent price movement.
but general level is about that of a
month ago. Corn markets held much
better than the wheat market. Live
stock gains were mainly on hogs and
fed cattle.
Most Vegetables Lower.
Eastern Shore of Virginia potatoes in
barrels brought S1.90 to 50 at shipping
points in late June. City prices were
lower on practically all arrivals except
those from Maine, which held fairly
STEADY.
Ali States show decreased watermelon
production this season. The first off,
cial report from South Georgia showed
a fairly firm cash-track market there,
with 24-30 pound Tom Watsons bring
ing S100 to S225 per carload and Dixie
Bellies $50 to 500. City prices on
peaches held well, with most sales of
six-basket crates ranging So to S3.75.
according to source and variety, as well
as quality and condition.
Seven intermediate onion States ex-
pect a total of 100000 bushels this
season, compared with 2,327,000 last
year Baltimore quoted ungraded yel-
low onions from Virginia at 25 to 40
cents per bushel hamper. Lettuce mar
kets were considerably weaker.
Butter Markets Unsettled.
The butter market at all points was
weak and unsettled in late June. Oper-
ators in general were conservative and
exhibited but a slight degree of conf
dence in the situation. Trading at most
markets was quite satisfactory. Butter
production, according to reports from
the various manufacturing groups, con-
tinues to show decreases from the pre-
vious week. Trading in butter for fu-
ture delivery was again confined largely
to the November storage contracts.
Operators in general were conservative,
with both buyers and sellers Indifferent.
The tone of the cheese markets at
distributing points continued steady
near the end Of June on fresh cheese
and firm on cured and held goods.
Prices on fresh cheese worked Ia cent
higher at Chicago, but in other market
quotations held unchanged. There was
a tendency among dealers In all mar
kets. however, to hold more firmly to
asking prices, this despite the fact that
further declines on butter had weak
ening effect. The storage demand con-
tinued lighter than in other years, al
though some of the larger users of
cheese have bought fairly freely. New
York State markets are steady to firm.
Egg Market Weak.
After the sharp drop in egg prices
during the third week of June the mar
ket on Middle Western mixed colors
stood at 13 to 1894 cents per dozen for
rehandled receipts. This was practically
the same as opening quotations for the
month. and was drop Of 1 "a cents per
dozen from the high quotation of the
month reached on June 20
Broiler supplies are showing the usual
seasonal increase, but as the demand is
holding up exceptionally well the mar
ket remains SO far unchanged. Fowl
are in only moderate supply, but under
the inactive demand the market con-
tinues weak.
Hogs and Cattle Higher.
A decided expansion in the price
range on slaughter cattle, with graSsers
selling slow to unevenly lower and
grain-feds at sharp advance. together
with a buoyant. sharply higher hog
market, were outstanding trade features
of the live stosk market the last part
Of June. The price upturn lifted hog
prices to the highest point since the
forepart of April, and the extreme top
was $1.10 per 100 pounds above the low
top of the season. which was registered
as recently as May 26. Best grain-fed
steers not only reached but crossed the
So line, choice yearlings touching S825
for new high peak on the recent ad-
vance. The two-way cattle market,
however, featured by declines on grassy
sorts. carried most grass slaughter
steers down to a 81 to SIS. so basis. max
ing for wider price spread between
the inferiority and high quality than
has been witnessed for many weeks
of ps,tI -;