Evening star., 1943-05-27
Potato Dealers
Here Fear New
Black Market
See Ceilings Evoded
Under 'RoII-Buck':
Supplies Increase

lIltO llle washington market llLCle
more freely than they had been for
many weeks, dealers here today
feared that the new OPA order
rolling back" wholesale and retail
prices and raising the ceiling for
Florida producers would drive the
potatoes back into the black
markets.
Price reductions on the wholesale
and retail levels, which the OPA
estimated would average about 7
per cent will make it necessary to
handle potatoes at above-ceiling
prices or not at ALL produce men
explained. They criticized the OPA
for what they termed it's failure to
understand conditions which exist
in the potato market.
Situation to Improve.
Dealers said that unless the new
order interferes with deliveries, they
expect the potato situation to i'm
prove steadily from now on. This
view was borne out by a statement
issued in New York today by Harvey
A. Baum, vice president and general
manager of the Atlantic Commission
Co., an affiliate of the Arp Tea Co.. !
who predicted there will be plenty of
new potatoes for civilians by the
middle of June.
Mr.. Baum, said to be the Nations S
largest buyer of fresh fruits and veg
etableS. said that early new potatoes
must be consumed within a short
time after being harvested and are
therefore unsuitable for overseas
shipment. This means, he said, that
virtually the entire crop will go to
civilian tables and to Army and Navy
posts in this country He added that
present acreages indicate there will
be 5000 900 more bushels of early
new potatoes harvested this year
than in 1912.
Beef Supply Increases.
Meanwhile. the beef supply in the
Washington area was increased to
some extent by new shipments which
arrived in time for some housewives
to cash in their accumulated red
stamps for a steak or roast. Meat
dealers were not pessimistic about
the supply of meats and pointed out
that for several months. there have
been almost lnceassant shortages in
certain kinds Of cuts. They felt
certain there was enough meat of
some description IN the city TO satisfy
every one who could produce the
necessary points
At the same time. the OPA ordered
a 3 per cent reduction in the price of
special cuts of oeef and veal sold to
hotels. restaurants, clubs and other
institutional eating places,
OPA accompanied the rollback bv
establishing dollars and cents ceiling
prices for packers. wholesalers and
hotel supply houses selling beef and
veal fabricated especially for the
restaurant trade. Similar prices
were set for lamb and mutton in De-
cember
Another Cut-Back Seen.
If the projected subsidy program
goes through-and Congress has vet
to approve it-meat prices for this
trade are expected to be cut back
another 10 per cent, OPA pointed
out
The new ceilings for hotels and
restaurants were accompanied by an
order limiting the proportion of
beef and veal which any wholesal lers
may sell to these Establishments in
the form of re-fabricated cuts. This
measure. said OPA. was done to
safeguard normal channels of dis
trlbution.'
OF an estimated sl,OOOO 900 worth
of meat and meat products sold to
public eating places in the last year.
beef and veal made up IS per cent. |
OPA figured.
The OPA order on potatoes gave
Florida farmers a ceiling price of |
40 a 100 pounds Until June ! |
and $3.50 thereafter, at the same
time reducing markups allowed |
wholesalers and retailers.
The cut back of the Florida CELL
ing next week will be reviewed by
the OPA and the Department of |
Agriculture, it was learned. following |
made by members of the |
Florida congressional delegation !
Conferences were scheduled to be |
held between the two agencies and |
Senator Pepper Democrat. of |
Florida, with other Congress men,
bers from that State.
Representative Hendrix, Democrat. !
of Florida pointed out that farmers
in the Hastings area were delayed
by unfavorable weather in harvest |
ing their crop, with the result that |
tWo-thirds of these potatoes are still
lying in the ground. He asked that |
the higher price order be extended !
to give producers a reasonable time
to get their potatoes out of the !
ground.
Representative Green. Democrat. |
of Florida warned that if the order
were not extended about 10000 acres
of potatoes would remain un-
harvested.