160 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 



Among the factors that influence the supply of fruit 

 may be mentioned the following: (1) Weather condi- 

 tions. (2) Skill necessary to grow the fruit. (3) The 

 climatic zones. (4) Cost of production. (5) High 

 market prices. (6) Transportation facilities. (7) Per- 

 ishability of the fruit. (8) The storage problem. The 

 first or weather condition probably accounts for the 

 greatest fluctuation in supply. Where certain fruits are 

 grown over a large area there is seldom a total crop 

 failure due to weather conditions. 



On the other hand, limited fruit enterprises like the 

 almond industry of the West have occasional years of 

 almost absolute failure due to peculiarities of climatic 

 conditions. In other years it may be unusually good, 

 hence we have the fluctuation in the fruit crops. For 

 example, the apple yield has ranged from 25,000,000 

 barrels in one season to about 65,000,000 the next, and 

 this uncertainty and variation cannot help but influ- 

 ence to a large extent the price paid for fruit. 



The skill necessary to grow fruit is a potent factor in 

 influencing the supply. The more skill required to pro- 

 duce a fruit the higher priced the product, and since 

 extreme high prices are not long in demand the more 

 skill necessary to grow any particular kind of fruit, 

 the less the supply of that fruit. The climatic zones influ- 

 ence market conditions so that it restricts certain fruits 

 to small areas. Where the area that will be favorable to 

 any particular fruit is limited, the supply must be 

 limited or the fruit imported from more favorable for- 

 eign countries. 



The cost of production very materially influences the 

 quantity of fruit offered for sale. Where the cost equals 



