224 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 



of all the exchanges were combined thus reducing the cost 

 and increasing the efficiency. This organization is now 

 handling all of the fruit for 15 companies comprising 

 about 15,000 cars annually. 



While it may appear to the casual thinker that this 

 system of distribution complicates matters, it in reality 

 simplifies them. The exchange can pay more attention 

 to the production of fruit, and when it is ready for sale 

 turns it over to the distributors. The delegates from 

 the various exchanges become directors in the distribut- 

 ing association, hence the management is always within 

 the control of the producing organizations. The system 

 of distributing unifies the methods of handling the fruit 

 in so far as the marketing is concerned. Uniform rules 

 regarding the harvesting and packing are established, 

 and instead of having several different grades or brands 

 one or two set standards are established. This larger 

 quantity of fruit handled attracts attention on the 

 larger markets, enables better methods in advertising 

 and reduces the cost of selling the fruit. 



North Pacific Fruit Distributors. At present this 

 organization represents the largest distributing associ- 

 ation extant. The four states of Oregon, Washington, 

 Idaho and Montana comprise the territory covered by 

 the association. All of these states have had active fruit- 

 growing organizations for years, some of them having 

 a membership running up into the thousands. These 

 organizations represented an industry approximating 

 250 millions. The great extent of the business handled, 

 and the fact that the bulk of the sales must be made 

 in other states than their own, made competition in the 

 selling end uncomfortably keen. Progressive leaders of 



