SSS READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



SPANISH ONIONS IN MANCHESTER 

 BY GRAFTON L. WILSON 



Place of production Valencia 



Place of consumption Manchester 



Price received by shipper . . . . 33. 4 d. to 45. 3d. per cwt. 



Price paid by consumer ....id. per pound 



Difference between prices. . . . 45. 6 d. to 55. 5 d. per cwt. 



Number of steps between the pro- 

 ducer and consumer .... Necessary, 3 



Usual, 3 or 4 



Possible, 5 or, in the case 

 of onions sold by the 

 very small grocer buy- 

 ing from the huckster, 6 



Freight . 7 d. to 9 d. per cwt. 



Tax for handling and canal dues . 6|d. to ;d. per cwt. 



Brokers' margins 1. 1 2 d. to 3.30 d. per cwt. 



Price paid by wholesaler . . . . 45. 8 d. to 55. 6 d. per cwt. 



Wholesalers' margin (average) . . 8d. per cwt. 



Price paid by grocer 55. 6 d. to 75. per cwt. 



Grocers' margin is. 3d. to 35. 7d. 

 (average) 2s. lod. per cwt. 



The trade in Valencia onions follows similar lines to that in 

 potatoes, with the addition of a step known as the commercial 

 saleroom between the shipper and wholesaler. 



The retail price most generally found was I penny per pound 

 with sometimes 2 pounds being given for i|d. For the best 

 grade (No. 5) the price was in some stores 2 pounds for 2] d. 

 The latter price was charged in the stores of the Manchester 

 Cooperative Society, but the Pendleton Society received the usual 

 price of i d. per pound. 



The prices at wholesale in the market ranged from 55. 6d. to 

 75. the hundredweight, with an average of 6s. 



The onions come in boxes of light wood holding i hundred- 

 weight which are divided into three compartments. The onions 

 are carefully graded, and the grades are numbered 4, 5, or 6, 



