1920 



AMERICAN BEE jOUK.NA. 



323 



Crop and Market Report 



Compiled by M. G. Dadant 



For our September report, we asked the following 

 questions of reporters: 1. How big is the crop? 2. 

 What price are you offered? 3. How is honey selling? 

 4. What do you expect to realize, wholesale and retail? 



THE CROP 



The New England States report about one-half crop for 

 the 1920 season, so far, and New York expects about the 

 same amount, with some better reports. Pennsylvania 

 will have a normal crop, although Ohio and practically 

 all central western States will have a much better crop 

 than last year. This is probably owing to the fact that 

 the crop was a failure last year. Michigan will have a 

 much better flow than last year, but there is a shortage of 

 bees, which will seriously influence the total of honey pro- 

 duced. Wisconsin claims an average of 100 pound.s per 

 colony, while Minnesota and Kansas state they will have 

 an average larger than last year, as will South Dakota. 

 Missouri will probably have a better crop than last year, 

 although the honey flow is very spotted. In the South- 

 ern States they are expecting to have a very small crop, 

 comparatively, sa}- about 40 per cent of last i'ear, and 

 this pertains generally to Alabama and Mississippi, while 

 Georgia and the Carolinas will have about 7.S per cent of 

 last year's flow. The only Southern State showing a big 

 crop is Louisiana, which reports the best crop for years. 

 In Texas the flow will be about normal, except in west- 

 ern Texas, which claims about two-thirds of last year. 

 Both New Mexico and .\rizona will fall short of last year, 

 as will practically all of the inter-mountain territory. 

 Colorado claims their crop will only be from one-third 

 to one-half, while Montana claims one-half to three- 

 fourths. In Idaho the situation is similar to Montana. 

 California and the Pacific Coast States will have about an 

 average crop. 



PRICES OFFERED 



Big buyers seem to be slow in offering this year, and re- 

 porters have sent in relatively few announcements of 

 prices offered on large lots of honey. Most of these offers 

 will range around 18c to 20c for white extracted and 16 to 

 18c for amber, with a price of from $7 to $8 per case for 

 comb honey. One large producer in Iowa states that he 

 was offered 18c per pound for white extracted, the buyer 

 to furnish the cans. This he accepted. 



HOW IS HONEY SELLING? 



Honey is selling well in a retail way. Many beekeepers 

 are reporting that they will soon run out of honey and 

 will have to buy a fresh supply to keep their customers 

 from going elsewhere. 



In the wholesale market honey is selling slower, due to 

 the fact that the big companies are not yet placing the 

 new crop on the market. They are holding off to see ex- 

 actly what crop conditions are going to be. In a retail 

 way honey is selling for a price of about $3 for 10-pound 

 can and $1.60 to $1.75 for S-pound can. This is for white 

 extracted honey. Comb honey is selling at about $9 per 

 case, retail. 



PRICES EXPECTED 



In practically all instances the eastern and central 

 western beekeeper expects a higher price than last year. 

 They expect probably 10 per cent to IS per cent increase 

 on last year's prices, and none of them is willing to sell 

 for less than 20c per pound f. o. b. shipping station. The 



fact that they have such an excellent demand locally 

 would indicate that they would hold and get the prices 

 they expect. 



The Texas Association is selling their honey readily, 

 and one report stated they only had about 1,000 cases 

 left to sell. They are getting in the neighborhood of 16c 

 to 18c for amber, and 30c for extracted honey packed in 

 5-gallon cans. The California Association is selling 

 through their distributors at a slightly less price. We 

 know of sales of carloads of amber extracted alfalfa honey 

 from California on a basis of 15c f. o. b. shipping point, 

 while white extracted honey has sold from 16>^c to 17j4 

 f. o. b. Los .\ngeles. These prices are for immediate de- 

 livery and remittance. The inter-mountain territory will 

 probably have no difficulty in disposing of their crop this 

 year at fancy prices, as they have usually an excellent 

 grade of honey, which seeks a special market. We under- 

 stand that the price asked will be in the neighborhood of 

 20c per pound for extracted, in car lots, and $7.50 per case 

 for comb honey. 



Probably the two factors influencing the demand for 

 honey on the part of large buyers are, first, the influ-x 

 of New Zealand honey and. second, the drop in price of 

 sugar. 



In the last thirty to sixty daj's there have been several 

 carloads of New Zealand honey come into the San Fran- 

 cisco and New York markets. This is being offered in 

 large and small lots at a price varying from 16c to 17^c 

 f. o. b the two points mentioned above. 



We also know of the offer of a large lot of amber 

 Chilian honey at a price of 14c f. o. b. Los Angeles. 



Sugar has begun to drop. Sugar was selling two weeks 

 ago at 22c per pound and is now being offered at from 

 17c to 18c, wholesale. Moreover, sugar futures would in- 

 dicate that it will continue to drop until March, being 

 quoted lower as the season advances. Whether this will 

 have very much influence on the price of honey remains 

 to be seen. 



Our idea would be that it will not have a great deal of 

 influence, except that it may cut out some sales to firms 

 who will use sugar instead of honey for sweetening with 

 the lower price of sugar. 



We believe, however, that this will be offset by the ever 

 growing demand on the part of the consumer for fancy 

 honey. Many reports coming in from beekeepers would 

 indicate that they will sell their honey crop without any 

 effort and that they will need an extra supply to fill their 

 customers' needs. This is probably due to the fact that 

 the consumer has ready cash and is willing to pay for the 

 articles he wants. 



We do not see any indication of a large drop in prices 

 of honey, and the replies of reporters would indicate that 

 they expect the price to stiffen as the season advances. 

 Compared with last year, prices are considerably higher, 

 .^t this time last year amber California honey was selling 

 at from 12c to 14c per pound, whereas today it commands 

 a price of at least 15c per pound. The white honey report 

 of the Ontario Beekeepers' Association is before us. Its 

 date is July 30, 1920, Their average production per colony 

 is 46 pounds, the reports being received from 470 mem- 

 bers, together with reports from Quebec and other prov- 

 inces. The recommendations of the price committee are 

 as follows, f. o. b. shipping points: Best quality light ev- 

 tracted. wholesale, 27c; best quality light extracted, retail. 

 32c to 40c. No. 1 comb, wholesale. $7.50 to $9 per case. No. 

 2 comb. $5.50 to $7.50 per case. The price of 27c whole- 

 sale is recommended for honey packed in barrels and for 

 the entire crop of producer. 



A New Book, **Dadant's System of Beekeeping 



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