Evening star., 1934-06-01
PRODUCE RECEIPTS
MOUNT STEADILY.
Most Prices Tend Lower.
Potatoes, Strawberries
Record Gains.

Produce shipments are increasing
slowly week by week, as usual with
the progress of the season, according
to the United States Department of
Agriculture.
Recent early totals are 6 to per
cent heavier than year ago, as might
be expected because of the larger
acreage of Southern truck crops, the
attraction of generally higher price
level and the earliness of the Western
fruit season.
Carlot movement is heavy and in
creasing for potatoes, beans, tomatoes,
, cucumbers and California fruit. Cab
bage shipments continue heavy and
prices weak.
Strawberry carlot movement seems
to be passing the height of the sea-
son. but Northern local receipts are
increasing. Shipments are light and
decreasing for asparagus, greens,
| apples, lettuce and sweet potatoes Sup
plies Of some of these are liberal,
owing to local motor truck receipts.
Prices are still slanting downward
on many lines, but potatoes and straw
berries were doing a little better
around the first of the month. Prices
have held quite well on lettuce, sweet
potatoes, apples and citrus fruits.
| Range of values is still wide on straw
| berries and some vegetables because
| much poor stock is on hand.
Prices no longer contrast so strong
ly with those of year ago because
the upswing in commodity markets
was under way in early June last
year. Onions are lower this season,
| mainly because of irregular quality
Most lines are still somewhat higher
| than IN early June, 1888 Some lines,
including apples and lettuce, have
been decidedly higher right long this
season.
Potato Market Irregular.
The price range Of potatoes showed
| 1rregularity and some tendency to
| recover near the first of June let
up in receipts brought small to mod
crate advances on old and new stock.
Shipments of old potatoes are chiefly
from Northern Maine and the price
there is rather firm, around 10 cents
per 100 pounds.
Southern producing sections ad-
| vanced to 10 cents per 100 pounds
| near the first Of the month. The
Eastern Shore section, which is next
in line after the Carolinas. is a little
late, but will probably ship more pota-
toes than a year ago. North Caro-
ina, which is Just beginning to ship,
! may send out 20 per cent more pota-
toes than last season. New Jersey
is strictly h1id-season State and has
an acreage II per cent above the
tlve-year average and is likely to COM
pete somewhat with the first part of
the main crop. South Carolina cob
blers are selling in Eastern markets
at So to $3.50 a barrel, which is not
far from the price prevailing a year
ago.
Sweet potatoes are no longer
prominent feature in most markets.
Washington quotes North Carolina
Puerto Ricans steady at SITS
bushel and not much change is re-
ported in the New York market for
New Jersey and other stock
Asparagus receipts were more
moderate during the cooler weather
of late May and markets made some
recoveries although local supplies
| we're still fairly liberal Prices of
| good quality North Carolina and Vir-
ginia stock ranged SIPS to 50 a
bushel in Northern markets near the
first of June. Some poorer lots sold
around ST.
Snap beans have not sold so we'll
as peas because of the extremely
large receipts from tn Gulf Coast
| region and later receipts from North
| and South Carolina. Price range was
quoted at So to rs cents bushel and
| markets we're expected to continue
weak.
Strawberry Trade Active.
Supplies of strawberries still run
heavy in most markets, although the
leading midseason shipping sections
have passed the height of activity.
New York and Boston quoted Vir-
glnia and Maryland berries 6 to 8
cents. Growers on the Eastern Shore
were getting from SIPS to So per
32-quart crate.
Apple shipments are very light, but
prices for good fruit are well main
tained. Eastern and Midwestern
markets quote good grades of favored
varieties around 50 a bushel Gen.
eral range in the East is from SIPS
to S2.25 ON basket pack. Competi-
ton with citrus fruit is moderate, but
supplies of early California cherries,
plums. apricots and peaches are un-
usually heavy for the time of year.
The few peaches on the market are
from California, but Georgia ship
ments started near the first of the
month. They will include only the
small. early varieties for the present.
but a good Southern peach supply
is expected during the month.
Watermelons are on sale in limited
i