Evening star., 1943-03-28
Wholesale Grocers
In D. {. 0verstocked
With Canned Goods
SpoiIoge Feared Unless
Government Eases Up
On Ration Regulations

Wholesale grocery houses in the
District yesterday reported they had
on hand far more canned products
than they could possibly sell under
the present system of rationing.
Most wholesalers reported they
had plenty of stock to redeem blue
stamps turned in by retailers for
practically every item on the ra-
toned list and some said orders
placed during the pre-ratiOn rush
period were still coming in although
they could no longer be disposed of.
Certain commodities which are
moving very slowly, it was pointed
out, may spoil within two months
unless the Government allows mer-
chants to dispose Of them. Sauer-
kraut, even though it is canned,
eannot be kept indefinitely and
dried fruits. such as prunes and
taisins, are likely to spoil
On the new table of point
values announced by the OPA
last night and effective tomor-
row. dried fruits. including
ralslns and prunes, were removed
from the rationed list. The point
values of all sizes of canned
sauerkraut remained the same)
Checked by Point Values.
Tomatoes, juices and certain kinds
Of fruits are standing almost COM
k,1 1e+n iI1a hooorca Of hIC h
point values placed on them.
At the same time, wholesale deal
ers said, shortages are becoming
more serious in certain kinds Of un-
rationed foods like jellies and jams,
gelatine desserts and packaged pud-
dings.
Most wholesalers buy their stock
during the canning season, between
May and July, and have it shipped
as they need it during the ensuing
year. Last summer, most whole
salers couldn't get as much of every
thing as they had previously bought,
it was explained, and the heavy rush
on canned goods during the two
months preceding rationing threat
ened to drain stocks long before
new shipments could be expected.
Most wholesalers found it neces-
sary, therefore, to restrict their de
iverles to retailers. One large
wholesale house took inventory of
its stock last January and set up
an allotment system whereby it
would dispose of only a certain
amount of goods each month. This
method provided some means of
checking the run on stocks but it
also left this house with large guam
titles of practically every kind Of
canned goods which cannot now
be sold, it was said.
Surplus Is Piling Up.
Another wholesaler explained that
during the weeks preceding ration
ing, when consumers were buying
much more heavily than normal, he
placed orders for canned goods with
shippers who had held out part of
their 1912 crops for speculative pur-
poses. Most Of these orders we're not
filled at that time. it was said, and
now the producers are sending the
goods out to wholesalers to get rid
of 1t before the next crop becomes
available. Wholesalers must accept
delivery, even though they can't use
the goods under present rationing
limitations.
I'VE can't stay in business much
longer" one wholesale merchant
said, unless the Government re-
lakes some of the high point values
and lets us sell more goods. The
wholesalers and the retailers are
In bad fix"
Some wholesale places were out
of few kinds of canned goods, but
in every instance it was found other
houses had plenty of the same items.
Generally, it was said, the wholesale
places In the District can easily
redeem all the blue coupons that
are turned in bv procers