Evening star., 1961-01-08
Il ood etoiI SoIesin6l
Nay Riseto $78 Billion

NEW YORK, Jan. z tAP9-
ne food Industry kept right
6n :expaudtng In 1850. shr,lg-
ing on the showdown which
6Kected some segments Of the
Seonomy.
Total consumer expenditures
airing the year were estimated
Nv Paul o. Nillis, president Of
the Grocery Manufacturers Of
America. Inc, at S7e billion.
oDIhpared with 973 billion IN
1859. he foressW spending Of
4ge ibillien next year and per-
hsps Sl0s billion . year BY 1870.
sRart ot the years gain in
dollar sales was due TO higher
prices. Monthly figures re-
ported BY the Bureau Of Labor
statistics In January and Feb
raary were lower than o year
earlier, but the index caught
up with SO n March. From
April through October. It was
- to as points higher than .
year earlier The 1860 figures
wire lower than those Of 1855
from January through Septem-
het,. however.
The Wholesale food index
complied by Dun q Bradstreet,
Inc, showed d somewhat siin-
liar price pattern. running wen
below 1859 from January !
until early August. From then
On. however. Il usually ran
ahead Of SO and the gap
Widened g. the year ended. The
index represents the total cost
at wholesale Of I pound each
ef ~ foods in general use.
SUPPLIES 10 De Larger
What about 1861?
The Department Of Agricul.
ture expects retail food prices
ta average close to this year.
Food supplies are expected to
Be 3 little larger. but the IN.
crease In population. win keep
per- capita consumption about
eysn with 1850.
IBeef, milk, poultry, marga-
xille and frozen vegetables are
expected to be more plentiful,
while some reductions are
looked for among other dairy
products. eggs and canned
Juices. 81
Beef consumption per capita
- expected to run around 90
pounds. . gain Of about 4
pounds on the year with most
of the increase from lowel
grade cattle providing ham.
burger. stew meat and othel
less expensive cuts. Pork con.
sumption per person 10 ex.
pected to run behind 1850 until
late In the year..
Slightly larger output ol
fruit u forecast, providing the
weather 10 at least average
while vegetables win be about
o. plentiful 60 In 1850.
Mr.. Willis also said profit,
pW dollar 0f sales have de.
clined. . sharp contrast to the
f.. upward sales curve: The 1851
estimate Of 8 cents is down 81
per cent from 4.e cents ON each
Sales dollar in 1859 because o.
the pro1t saueese. caused b
constantly increasing wagl
rates. transportation rates arit
taxes.
Nss Es asGt
Steck Market Showing
Despite the lower profit rate
Mr.. Wins said. food professor
have maintained good earning,
through improved operating
efAciencies and increased vol.
,tfne. His view comedies Will
that Of Wan Street, which ha,
noted substantial price In.
ereases in many food stock,
this year.
While stock market average,
have dumped sharply. Cali.
fcrnia Packing rose from q l95I
close Of about $50 to . mid
December level Of around so
Campbell Soup from 354 to $50
Corn Products $57-$s1, Genera
Foods $50 (adjuste d. .972
Heinz $91-$l3o. Hershey $77.
31l6, Minute Maid $19-$35, Ma
aOnal Biscuit $56-$7l, Nationa
Dairy 447-$e4 and Standar,
Brands $37-$55.
The spurt reflects the con
tinued rapid growth Of con
venience foods prepared o
semiprepared plain and fame!
foods requiring q minimum o.
time and trouble to prepare
Mr.. Willis estimated sale
leaped 80 per cent from 1856