Variations between species .— Fragmentary data indicate that 

 price differentials between white and grooved shrimp exist in most land- 

 ing ports. 16/ In 1952 grooved shrimp (26-30 count) in the Morgan City, 

 Louisiana, area sold from k to 10 cents less per pound than white shrimp 

 of similar count. In Bayou LaBatre, Alabama, no price differential 

 existed between similar count shrimp of different species, with the 

 exception of the last few months of the year. The same characteristic 

 distinction between the two ports existed in 1951 (see table VIII - 30). 

 A possible explanation for the absence of a differential in Alabama and 

 ".ississippi ports (see also the 1950 data for Biloxi, Mississippi) 

 is that most of the shrimp landed in these states were used for canning. 

 There is little consumer resistance against shrimp canned from the 

 grooved varieties. 



VsLTJatlons between size classes . — Differentials between 

 different size classes of shrimp (all varieties and areas combined) are 

 shown in table VIII - 31. In 1948 quotations for three size classes 

 were collected: larger than 25 count, 26-35 count, 6uad smaller thein 36 

 count. The differential between the size classes amounted to twenty 

 cents, and 12 cents respectively. At the end of the year the differen- 

 tial between the larger classes had been reduced to 12 cents. In 19^9 

 the Market News Office started to collect quotations for five size 

 classes in some areasj i.e., less than 20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-^2, and 36 

 plus. In the 1954 Brownsville and Morgan City union agreements the 

 low-count shrimp were broken into two classes; viz., 15 and under and 

 15-20 count. Collected data show that the differentials between the 

 size classes do not remain consteuit. In 195^ the differentials between 

 the 15-20 and 21-25 and between the 21-25 and 26-30 size classes fluc- 

 tuated between k and 6 cents, while the difference between 26-30 and 

 31-42 count shrimp was 10 cents at the beginning, and 3 cents at the 

 end of the year. Because of the unfavorable market conditions during 

 1954 quotations for high-count shrimp, when any were made at all, were 

 nominal (8 cents in the months of April through June). 



Average minimum ex-vessel sharing prices (26-30 count for all 

 varieties emd locations considered ). — From the available data monthly 

 average prices for the 26-30 count of all vstrieties and all locations 

 have been computed (see table VIII - 32). The series is used for com- 

 parison with similar composite series of wholesale and retail prices. 



16/ After the price comparisons made in the balance of this section 

 on ex-vessel prices were made, more voluminous price information be- 

 came available through an expanded shrimp statistics program of the 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Since the prices here tabulated are 

 illustrative of the subjects discussed, this section was not revised 

 in order to avoid delay in issuing this information. 



118 



