Evening star., 1947-03-10
Bread Prices Boosted
One 10 Three Gents
In Several Cities
BY The Asseeiassd Press

CA1CASfO, MET. ~. - SOARING
wheat prices we're hitting the con
sumner today with bread undergoing
price increases in several elite,
throughout the country.
Bread has been raised from /
cent to 3 cents a loaf as wheat a
the Nations major grain terminal,
brings the highest prices since 1920
An Atlanta grocery concern witt
several retail stores announced tn,
sharpest advance reported, q 3-cen'
boost to II cents for a 24-ounc.
loaf. In New York, New England
Pittsburgh, Detroit, Grand Rapids
Mich; Cleveland, indianapolis ane
Los Angeles the consumers already
have been tagged for a cent or !:
more on each loaf.
tThe trend had not reached
major Washington bakeries to- ;.
day, but several smaller suppliers
reported they had been obliged
to raise the loaf price cent and
make increases In other brand
product prices in the face Of in
creasing ingredient costs.
Can executive Of one large firm
said the boost could be expected
to become general here soon If
wheat market figures continue to
increase.
washington housewives have
been paying II cents for popular
brand one-pound loaves.)
A bakery spokesman at Minneap-
oils has warned consumers there tc
brace themselves for a 1-cent boost
which, he added, would cover only
a small portion of the increased
costs of ingredients and other pro-
duction charges.
In Chicago a wholesale bakery
representative said he was afraid
a price increase would be necessary
soon.
In Canada the Wheat Board
raised its price of wheat. for export
to countries other than Great Brit
ain cents bushel, effective to-
day. The new price is $3.50 bushel
highest since September, 1920.
Mills were securing the country
for the grain. Texas and Oklahoma
mills were reported searching for
wheat in the spring wheat territory
OF the Northwest, while mills In that
area were having dificulty in OBJ
tanning the grade and quality desired
In the last seven weeks wheat has
scared around so cents a bushel and
rose again today in active dealings
Flour prices have been boosted in
line with the wheat advance. Bread
had escaped until today because
bakers were using flour purchased
before the current advance started
Purchases of wheat and flour by
to food-deficit areas abroad were
considered primarily responsible by
grain experts for the sharp price
advance. Boxcar shortages were
believed to be a contributing factor
While the Government has not
purchased much wheat in recent
weeks, most grain arriving at mar
kets is being applied on previous
sales to the Government. Conse-
quently, mills which have -four COM
mitments to meet were bidding ag-
gressively for wheat. I5f s, ,Fa.j -
The Government lis continuing to
purchase -four and last Saturday
raised its buying price 40 cents a
hundred pound sack.
Meanwhile. the Broomhall Market
Service, an international grain re-
porting organization with head
quarters in London, said that in
Europe more grain is, arriving from
the United States but very little
from the Argentine and Canada"
Grain traders at Chicago were
fearful that advancing prices fol-
food commodities might cause re-
sumption of labor strife, a fear
noted also In the slumping New
York stock market late last week.