Variations between species and size classes . — As shown in 

 table 7III - 35, a price differential between white and grooved shrimp 

 persists in the wholesale market. This table compares the monthly whole- 

 sale prices of frozen shrimp (white and grooved) at Chicago for the 

 years 1955 and 1958. Generally speaking, white shrimp commanded a 

 premium over grooved shrimp of similar count. This premium ranged from 

 only one cent per pound to nine cents for the less than 15 count. In 

 the l5-20«s, the white shrimp brought a price differential of three to 

 five cents a pound most of the time, although it did go as high as 10 

 cents during October 1958. An even greater differential is observed 

 in the 21-25 count shrimp. 



Wholesale prices in the New York fresh shrimp market are incom- 

 plete, owing to the relatively small amount of shrimp sold on this market. 

 The available data, however, indicate a considerable price differential 

 between size classes for the different species as well as for the same 

 variety of shrimp. 



Average wholesale prices (26-30 count for all varieties and 

 consumption centers considered ). — For the purpose of comparing ex-vessel, 

 wholesale and retail prices an average of wholesale prices for the 26-30 

 count of all varieties and consumption centers was computed. The series, 

 beginning with January 1950, is shown in table VIII - 36. 



Retail Prices 



Retail prices of shrimp have been compiled for two markets, 

 New York and Boston (see tables VIII - 37 and VIII - 38). The data 

 collected are the most general prices listed on the weekly retail price 

 reports of the Bureau of Consumers' Service and Research, Department of 

 Markets, City of New York, and on the Boston retail price reports pub- 

 lished by the Division of Markets of the Massachusetts Department of 

 Agriculture . 



An average retail price has been computed for purposes of 

 comparing the retail price series with ex-vessel and wholesale figures 

 (see table VIII - 39). 



Price Spreads 



The approxL-iate spread between prices paid to the fisherman, 

 prices received by the dealer, and prices received by the retailer can 

 be studied on the basis of the average prices computed in tables 

 VIII - 31, VIII - 36 and VIII - 39. A graph of the three series is 

 shown in figure VIII - 26. 



129 



