SHIPPING MASSACHUSETTS APPLES S 



Table 4 — Trend of Commercial Apple Production in Massachusetts, 

 1917-1932. (Thousands of Bushels). 



Year Total 



1917^ 2,163 



1918 2,430 



1919 3,187 



1920 3,575 



1921 1,125 



1922 3,010 



1923 3,300 



1924 3,360 



1925 3,160 



1926 4,100 



1927 2,520 



1928 2,700 

 1929^ 2,440 

 1930 4,389 

 193 P 1,575 

 1932' 3,142 



'Youngman, Statistics and Charts of the Apple Industry, p. 28, 1917 to 192S. 

 2U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1032, p. 696. 1929-1930. 



'U. S. Dept. Agr. Crof) Reporting Board, Crop Report as of September 1, 1932. 

 'U. S. Dept. Agr. Crop Report, .\nnual Revisions, December, 1932. 



Ways of Meeting the Problem 



The above combination of factors which indicates an enlarging production of 

 apples in Massachusetts is significant. Orchards were planted under the assump- 

 tion that the product could be marketed profitably. Data on consumption indi- 

 cate that consumers are not eating additional quantities of apples. Massachusetts 

 apple growers must either supply a larger percentage of the total local consumption 

 or promote sales in other consuming areas. 



Economically it would appear desirable for New England to supply a larger part 

 of its own needs. In this case fewer out.side apples would come into New England 

 and her growers might not have to seek outside outlets. It would require consider- 

 able publicity to induce New England people to eat only New England apples. 

 It would also require a verj^ close and complete organization of growers sufficient 

 to control production and price policies. Such an organization seems improbable 

 at this time. The only alternative is for New England growers to enlarge the 

 consuming area and enter markets not now exploited by them. 



Present Markets 



The larger part of the Massachusetts apple crop is consumed locally. Cities in 

 Massachusetts and the city of Providence, Rhode Island, are the chief outlets. 

 Small towns adjacent to the growers' orchards are of little importance. 



New York City absorbs much of the supply from Western Massachusetts, plus a 

 small volume from other apple growing sections within the state. The number of 

 local growers who are actually acquainted with the outside markets is small. 

 Frequently a small volume of local apples is shipped to Pittsburgh or Cleveland. 



