Production costs did not differ materially between the two 

 companies. Tlie average cost of a pound of end-product in both instances 

 was in the neighborhood of $1.00 in 1953; and in the neighborhood of 

 about 63 cents in 195^ • Tlie big difference in costs between the two 

 years must be ascribed to the low raw material costs which prevailed 

 throughout 195!^. 



Platform expenses (fuel, salt, repairs of equipment, depre- 

 ciation, etc.) in the case of the company not depending on outside labor 

 represented approximately one-tenth of total production costs, the re- 

 mainder being accounted for by raw material costs. The percentage repre- 

 sented by platform costs in the case of the other establishment was only 

 slightly higher. Labor costs were nearly twice as large as overhead. 

 Tlie difference in operational results between the two companies, one 

 showing a loss, the other one a profit, in both years for which data are 

 available, cannot be ascribed to a different cost structure. It was due 

 rather to the better price obtained by the one company for a higher 

 quality product. 



Shrimp Specialties 



Canned shrimp specialties to date have been only of minor 

 importance in packing operations. Brand competition amor^ processors 

 and distributors, hov/ever, tends to place increasing emphasis on prod- 

 uct diversification indicating a bright future for this still compara- 

 tively small branch of the industry. 



Statistics on canned shrimp specialty production are currently 

 collected for eleven styles of pack, viz.: 



Aspic Gumbo 



Bisque Wewburg 



Calces Paste 



Cocktail Smoked (in oil) 



Creole Soup 



Curry 



In 195'^^ a total of 13 companies distributed over eight states 

 packed the equivalent of a total of 6,3^4 standard cases r/of one or 

 more styles of canned shrimp specialty products; the products were valued 

 at $100,702 at the manufacturer's level. 



Statistics on chilled and frozen shrimp cocktails which are 

 specialty products not coming under the general classification of canned 

 products were collected by the United States Pish and Wildlife Service for 

 the first time in 195^. In that year a total of 523,552 pounds (in manu- 

 factured weight) \/ere put up in this form. Tlie value of these products at 

 the processor's level was placed at $459,819. 



_^/ A standard case contains kQ pounds net weiij;ht of product. 



300 



