ECONOMICS OF THE FISHERIES 445 



largest and most important consumer fresh fish market in the country, but 

 because statistics are available at that point. It is known that substantial 

 quantities of North Carolina fishery products are shipped to dealers in 

 Baltimore, Washington, and Norfolk, but we are unable to obtain any factual 

 data on these shipments. Through all of these commission and brokerage 

 markets North Carolina fish undoubtedly reach many points in the eastern 

 United States, and at least some of it returns to the consumer market in 

 North Carolina after having passed through the hands of these out-of-State 

 distributing agencies. 



Sales to Truckers. The producer-dealers also find outlets for some of their 

 produce direct to truckers who as principals purchase the fish at the seacoast 

 point, transport it to the up-State markets and sell direct to retailers, restau- 

 rants, institutions, and even wholesalers or distributor-dealers. Some of the 

 truckers hold close to the coast; others serve sections of up-State North Car- 

 olina, the eastern part of the State being more frequently visited with more 

 variable service from the truckers than the western part which is usually 

 not visited oftener than once a week by a trucker. Where these truck opera- 

 tors have several trucks, they can and do send to different localities and buy 

 whatever varieties are available at each, and in this manner broaden the 

 assortment which they are able to offer the inland customers. These truckers 

 learn the needs of their customers from experience and seek out enough 

 sources of supply to fill these needs. Prices are negotiated on the spot at 

 the coastal producer-dealer's place of business, and the products are pur- 

 chased on inspection or by sample. 



The truckers mark up from $i.oo to $5.00 per box; they strive to average 

 $2.00. Sometimes the trucker is able to get a discount of $1.00 to $2.00 

 per box under what the coastal producer-dealer charges his other customers. 



Inland Consumption, Distribution and Marketing 

 THE POTENTIAL MARKET 



The operations of producer-dealers and, to some extent, of the independent 

 trucker salesmen, being inseparable from the productive functions at the 

 shore, have been considered in connection with the fishermen. The mechan- 

 ics of distribution as such must now come under consideration, in prepara- 

 tion for which we examined the nature and measure of the potential market 

 in North Carolina and the neighboring States. 



North Carolina and Neighboring States as Market for their Own Prod- 

 ucts. Size and characteristics of the population of North Carolina and 

 neighboring States favoring or not a market for seafoods are shown in the 

 following table: 



