TABLE V - 6U. --AVERAGE COST OF PRODUCING CAMWED 

 SliRBIP, Am SHARE OF TOTAL COST REPRESENTED BY 

 RAW SHRIMP, DOLLARS PER DOZEN FIVE OUNCE CANS 

 PACKED, 5 PRODUCERS, 1952, 1953 AlfD I95U 



Processing costs represented in the neighborhood of two fifths 

 of the cost of the pack; they were 5 cents lovrer in 1953 than in 1952 

 and declined another 7 cents in I95U. Tlie cost of the pack, however, 

 varied in direct proportion with the cost of raw shrimp which increased 

 50 cents in 1953 and fell 20 cents in 195^*^ per dozen five ounce cans 

 packed. 



The reduction in processing costs from 1952 to 195i<- is accounted 

 for by a decline in labor and packing materials costs, as illustrated in 

 table V - 65. This drop was only slightly offset by a rise in other 

 elements of cost, e.g. royalty and icing and storage expenses. Random 

 observations on canning costs and labor made by the field investigators 

 of the Bureau of Business and Econoniic Research of the University of Miami 

 in the course of their survey were as follov/s: 



Canning labor frequently is paid on an hourly basis, the usual 

 wage being the minimum wage set by law. VJhere the workers in packing 

 plants are affiliated with the Seafood Workers' Association of the Gulf 

 Coast SIU, AFL-CIO union, however, fixed piecework rates for individual 

 operations are established by contract in addition to hourly rates. 



It was estimated that under piece work schedule, workers could 

 earn between $8 and $12 per day when production is good. 



296 



