grooved shrimp (15-20 count) f .o.b. Chicago can be used. The range of 

 prices in the Chicago market was as follows: 



TABLE Vni - 3U.— ANNUAL RANGE OF WH0I£SAI£ PRICES OF FROZEN 



GROOVED SHRIMP IN THE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MARKET, 1951 - 1958 



(15-20 count, heads off) 



"Year Cents per pound Year Cents per pound 



While the average differential between Texas and Chicago 

 prices seem to approximate 6-7 cents, the data indicate that there is 

 an apparent difficulty on the part of the Chicago dealers to pass the 

 increased costs on to the buyers, the difference between the annual 

 highs in the two series being much less pronotinced than the difference 

 between the two lows. 



Variations between individual consumption centers . — Chicago , 

 New York, and Boston wholesale prices of shrimp (quarterly averages 

 for all varieties, 26-30 count) are compared in figure VIII - 23. The 

 figiire indicates that, over most of the period under observation, 

 Chicago prices were slightly lower than prices in the other two markets, 

 Boston prices nearly always were highest because of the city»s greater 

 distance from the fishing centers. When fishing activities are at a 

 seasonal low, prices in the market which depends on fresh shrimp tend 

 to be higher, as is shown by the first quarter average prices in New 

 York in 1951 and 1952. The figvire also shows that the difference be- 

 tween the lowest and highest average prices in the three markets rarely 

 exceeds six cents, the differential usually being largest in the fourth 

 quarter, 



A comparison of the range between the weekly highs and lows 

 in wholesale prices for fresh and frozen shrimp is shown in figure 

 VIII - 2k. The figure points up the considerably greater amplitude of 

 price fluctuations in the New York fresh shrinp, than in the Chicago 

 frozen shrimp market. 



Comparison between wholesale prices of fresh and frozen shrimp 

 in one market - New York . — Average monthly wholesale prices for 26-30 

 count shrimp in fresh and frozen form from 195 3 through 1958 in 

 the New York market are compared in figure VIII - 25. Characteristically, 

 during the period of peak production in the second half of the year 

 fresh shrimp prices are below frozen shrimp prices because fresh shrimp 

 have to be disposed of without delay and cannot be distributed over a 

 wide market. During the fall of 195U the difference between fresh and 

 frozen prices was less pronounced than in the other years since the 

 large cold storage holdings constituted a depressing influence in the 

 frozen shrimp market. Bie same situation may be noted in 1958, 



125 



