, 1935-09-22
COMMITTEES
AT WORK ON
CITRUS PLAN
Miller Goes Into More
Detail On Program
To Market Fruit
Under One Head


the city hall named a committee to
contact their neighbors in favor Of
the central marketing agency with
Banks Miller as its head.
The action In naming the COM
mittee was taken following an ex-
PLANTATION Of the plan BY Miller.
The growers nominated DR.. Nathan
Powell. chairman: l.. K. Snavely,
George Fletcher. w. M. Ellison and
Paul n. Lane as members Of the
committee which viii meet at 3
O'Clock at the chamber Of COM
nero To formulate plans for a can
vass Of citrus producers in the
Harrington area. In the meantime
copies Of the proposed contract be-
tween the growers and the market
ing agency may be found at the
chamber Of commerce.
up 20 Growers
Miller made 1t plain that he was
not putting q high-powered pro-
motion organization into the field
but that he would put the plan in
70 effect only If the growers them
SELVES oAa1N W OCts ~ 1Adt tnCg
want II. He said that a central
sales organization 70 be effective
would need 70 control at least rs
per cent OF the tonnage and pre-
ferably more. He made it plain
that he would be acting as the
growers broker, attempting TO sell
their fruit to the best advantage.
Miller opened his talk by ex-
planning how the Valley had coasted
along for years on new capital but
that With no new money coming In
1t was up to this section 70 show
some action and do something. He
said that too much attention had
been given to growing the fruit and
not enough to disposing Of 1t to
best advantage. This. he stated, Is
q matter Of craftsmanship
The Valley has been trying to do
what no corporation has been able
TO do without going into the hands
Of a receiver. the speaker asserted.
He produced a list Of lS3 persons
and firms that shipped five or more
cars Of fruit during the past sea-
son. ct would be fine II they we're
an together" he said. but they
were all selling against each other.
They were all selling the same kind
OF fruit and they had no argument
against each other except price.
"The Valley is selling a new prod
uct but has done nothing to create
q national market for 1t. 1t can
not take the attitude that because
Valley fruit Is superior 1t can sit
back and say. here 1t Is: come and
get it. We must be eager to sell
our fruit. We must advertise It."
Faces Poor Outlook
Miller said that the Valley faces
O poor outlook in its marketing this
year. If the fruit Is going TO be
sold on q competitive basis this sea-
son I'd hate TO tell you what 1t will
be selling fer by Thanksgiving" he
added. IF We don't get a central
marketing organization we will
have to get the government TO pick
our fruit and bury It. If we sell
this years crop we've got next
years half sold"
Contracts are being signed d.
rectly with growers instead Of ship
pers. This is because II contracts
we're signed with shippers now In
the Valley. many new ones might
come In and break up the deal. For
this reason the man who produces
the fruit Is TIE one whose contract
is desired. II he Is already under
contract with q coop. he ian ask
his association to use the central
marketing agency.
The first thing the proposed sales
agency would do would be TO get
some boats. Miller stated. Then
brokers would be obtained in the
principal markets. Fruit would be
taken to New York or some other
big center Of population. Valley
fruit would be advertised by means
Of a big contest with a prize for the
best name for II. A part of the
rtnd with Texas or Valley advertis-
ing on it would need to be en-
closed by each person in the con
test, thus stimulating sale Of fruit.
Miller expects that at least q
third Of the crop would move by
boat. He said that the difference
between a central agency and a
number OF shippers offering the
same boatload Of fruit for sale
would be that proper distribution
would be achieved under the for
mer condition while the individual
shippers would be bidding against
each other in the latter condition.
With 100 cal Of fruit involved such
competitive bidding would be disas-
trous.
Shipping BY boat would not mean
that All fruit would be marketed
In coast cities. Where railroads In
this section do not give low rates
to certain points. railroads serving
New Orleans would make low rates
into the Mississippi valley and
other points while other railroads
serving the Eastern ports would
make rates into Canada and other
points. The Eastern roads would
offer through rates based on the
waterfall combination, Miller said,
thus affecting q big saving.
He predicted that unless most OF
the fruit was controlled by one
agency. little fruit would 60
j hy boat. This prediction was
based on the corn deal. Although
representatives OF boat lines saw
the big corn crop growing in the
Valley. they would not take the res
possibility Of calling for 1t unless
they had a contract TO carry IL.
They demanded that they be pro
tected. Unless a central agency
could contract for the carrying Of
fruit. Il Is doubtful whether more
than one hoatload will move by
water, Miller stated. Boats are
not ike railroads. they viii not run
unless the tonnage Is there waiting
for them"
Trucker Has Place