-13- 



McINTOSH - 19^5 - 56 - 57 



An unusually \rarm. gro\Ting seas on j a large local crop and an unusvial harvest 

 drop complicated the marketing situation for jlclntosh apples. 



As a result, too ripe and too much-too late seem to be the key notes of the 

 1955-56 ilclntosh apple season. Those virho sold on a strictly virholesale basis are 

 not happy over the result. Those grcuvers who sold a substantial quantity directly 

 to consuiners are better satisfied vdth the year, but still not altogether happy, 



Out-of-Storage Movement - 1955 - 56 



The first month of selling after October 15 vras nearly in line vri-th the solid 

 line on the Out-of-Storage llovement charts released by the Extension Service 

 for the study of liclntosh marketing. During the last two weeks of October, hovf- 

 ever, the movement out of storage was saneiirhat slo\Ter than is considered most 

 effective. The first month resulted in a movement 5-10^ slower than would have 

 been desirable looking at the season after it was closed. To visualize the im- 

 portance of a good rate of movement in last October, it is only necessary to real- 

 ize that 105^ of the October holdings represent nearly the entire holdings on April 

 1, Small percentage changes in the first part of the season have a way of becoming 

 very important in the latter part of the season. 



The out-of -storage movement lagged during the second i.ionth, so that on Dec- 

 ember 15 the season movement vr&s about 20^ behind standard. The Christmas holidays 

 savf the slovrest movement of any tTro-v/eek period of the season. There vras a nearly 

 normal rate of movement in early January from existing supplies. 



As a result of the slow movement out of storage, the quantities remaining 

 to be sold v/ere about one-third too many on January 1, one-half too many on 

 January 15, nearly double on Febraury 1, three times the standard on February 15, 

 four times standard on liarch 1 and seven times standard on iiarch l5. 



Prices - 1955 - 56 (Special Apple Market Report - Boston) 



The period between harvest and about the middle of October is a price test- 

 ing period, when the forces of demand and the forces of supply work out a basic 

 price for the season. Last fall the price started for Mcintosh US Fancy 2-1/2 

 and up in a crate at an average of ^2.62, On September 20, this price had low- 

 ered to Wl»62 and for eight successive reports the price for this grade averaged 

 to be !#l962 for a crate of Liclntosh, which is used as a base price on the chart. 



On October l8, 20 and 25 the price rose to an average of 02,12 and held at 

 that point until November 15 » In the last t\ro v/eeks of November, the price was 

 off a quarter to ^1,87, On December 1, the average price rose to 02,00 and stayed 

 at that point until December 20, In the three-week period at the end of the year 

 and through January 12, the price was again at !:p1,87, and only one quarter up 

 from the starting price on October 15, On January 19 and 26 and February 2 the 

 price had settled to the starting price of the storage season. 



