STOCK STATISTICS 



I'flnile information on the quantity packed is of major importance 

 to the producers and distributors of canned tuna, data on the stocks 

 on hand at the packer and wholesaler levels vjould be of equal or 

 possibly even more benefit. This type of information is probably of 

 more direct importance to the buyer and seller of canned tuna than 

 data on the total pack. Generally speaking, the wholesaler seems to 

 be more interested in these data than the packer. Howeverj the packer 

 could use statistics on stocks to even greater advantage than could 

 the wholesaler. Information of this type would show the c aimers when 

 stocks were starting to pile up at the wholesale level. At present, 

 these stocks can reach dangerously high levels before any intimation 

 of marketing difficulties reaches the packer in the form of reduced 

 or cancelled orders. It takes several months to slow down or stop 

 canning operations due to the long trips made by the fishing vessels. 

 Consequently, any information that would enable the packer to obtain 

 earlier information on sales or stocks at the various levels of dis- 

 tribution would assist in preventing glutted markets. 



The monthly holdings in cold storage warehouses of frozen meat, 

 poultry, and fish are published by the Department of Agriculture and 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service. The California Fish Canners Associa- 

 tion collects data on stocks of canned tuna owned by its members. 

 This inf onnation is not generally available except to Association mem- 

 bers. However, public information is not available on stocks of can- 

 ned fish of any variety. 



' ,Vhen queried on the subject of statistical data, a number of 

 brokers said that most of their information was obtained from their 

 principals (canners). In ad'iition to the information obtained from 

 Fish and Wildlife Service reports, some brokers obtain some general 

 infcrmation from such sources as trade magazines and reports of the 

 American Institute of Food Distribution. The information available 

 from the single packer represented by a broker is necessarily some- 

 what sketchy and in some cases is not indicative of the status of the 

 entire industry. However, some brokers undoubtedly obtain the infor- 

 mation on canned tuna stocks collected by the California Fish Canners 

 Association from members of that Association. 



CONSUMP'nON DATA 



Another type of information required for modern marketing con- 

 sists of data on the regional consumption of the item. Some companies 



393 



