White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-04-18
HELP NEEDED


HELP NEEDED
Soft fruit growers who managed to bring their
fruit through the frost period with little damage,
looking forward to good price for their pro-
duct this year. Indications that the freeze
so general over the country that demand will ex-
coed supply, with resultant higher prices
This same condition is faced each year. For one
grower to receive profit, another must suffer.
Such condition is unnatural and the salvation
of the soft fruit industryas we'll as the apple and
other industlies-s in either regaining lost mar
kets or adjusting production to meet the demand
of existing conditions.
There are two main factors in the present mar
keting situation Of Washington soft fruits. One
is the dumping of California produce on the north
west markets at the time when the local fruit is
first being shipped, and the other is the loss of
Canadian markets through excessive tariff duties.
For local growers, the first problem is perhaps
the most important. Due to our early season,
able to ship nearly all of the crop before the
later districts of the state begin to market their
produce. Unfortunately, at this same time that To-
cal fruit reaches maturity, the California crop has
reached it's peak, and the surplus is literally
dumped on the northwest markets.
In view of the fact that California places Sc
restrictions the shipment of fruits into
that state, it should seem only logical that Wash
ington protect it's growers by prohibiting the
dumping of fruit at time when it ruins local mar
kets This should not interfere with the orderly
marketing of produce; in fact, proper restrictions
would promote better marketing conditions and
insure fair price for all growers.
The local development League initiated action
along this line this winter when they presented
a resolution to our legislators asking for some.
such legislation If the director of agriculture were
to use his powers to prevent this dumping, it
would insure greater security for local soft fruit
growers
AS concerns the soft fruit producers of the
state in general, the second problem is equally i'm
portant. A brief has recently been presented to
the United States Tariff Commission by a COM
mittee OF Yakima shippers and growers in
deavor to relief from the tariffs which have
brought about such condition.
1t is pointed out in this brief that prior to the
Dump Act of the Canadian government in 1880,
Washington shipped into the prairie provinces
949 cars OF soft fruits in 1929 in 1884 the ship
ments were 20 cars. Peaches and other summer
fruits have been produced commercially in this
state for 30 years. and production has been on a
slzeable scale for the last Is years, reaching it's
peak during the three year period Of 1928 1890
Until the dump act duties were applied ap-
proximatey 40 per cent of the soft fruit crops of
Washington found natural market in the prairie
provinces OF Canada and, in fact, the increase in
production in this state paralleed the increase i'm
demand in that section. With normal tariff duty
the price of Washington fruit was only slightly
more than consumers in this country paid while
the Canadian grower still protected.
Theoretically, the dump act is to protect the
Canadian grower at the time that his product is
at the peak of it's movement. Actually, it prohib-
it's the shipment of any fruit into that country
being imposed prior to the time of the soft fruit
season., and being taken off after it is concluded
each year.
The Canadian producer therefore, receives a
price completely out of line with crop conditions,
and the consumer is deprived of sufficient fruit to
meet his needs Supplies adequate to the demand
are not produced in western Canada, and consum-
ers there must pay high price or be deprived of
healthful and necessary food commodity while
growers in the state of Washington just across
the border are deprived of natural market for
their produce through tariff barriers.
Reciprocal trade agreements, protecting the
growers OF soft fruits and yet insuring fair price
to the consumer, will be large aid in the pro-
ductlon OF a necessary commodity.