38 



University of New Hampshire 



[Sta. Bull. 321 



1927—17.8 

 1928—17.7 

 1929—24.7 

 1930—16.5 

 1931—13. 



1932—15. 

 1933—10.7 

 1 93+— 15.4 

 1935—16.7 

 1936—22. 



1937—13.3 

 1938—16.4 

 1939—19.4 



Portsmouth prices have averaged highest in nine years, while 

 Manchester has averaged highest in three of the last thirteen years. 

 Keene has had the lowest average price in ten out of thirteen years. 



Seasonal price changes 



Blueberry prices show a general downward trend as the season ad- 

 vances. Average prices over the past 10 years (1929-1938) in four 

 Xew Hampshire cities show that prices in the third week were 4.6 

 cents under the first week and in the sixth week were 2.6 cents tm- 

 der the third week. 



See Fig. 15 for seasonal change in prices on the Boston market. 



Out-of-state Markets for Blueberries 



It is difficult to make accurate comparisons of prices in different 

 markets unless quotations on berries of similar quality are available. 

 The descriptive terms which are given in connection with different 

 quotations vary greatly in different markets, and even when the 

 same terms are tised they may not be fully comparable. Products 

 sold under the same federal grades would be tuore nearly comparable 

 but in the markets selected, qtiotations were not made for federal 

 grades. 



While price comparisons may be useful, we must bear in mind 

 that they are approximations and vary considerably in accuracy. 



See Tables XVI and X\TI for comparisons. 



Table XVI. — Prices in out-of-state blueberry markets compared with the average 



for four New Hampshire cities 



Note: Portland i)rices appear liigh considering that Maine is an important 

 surplus area for bhieberries. Tlic Portland prices are those of a jobbing 

 house less 1 cent per quart to adjust to a wholesale basis. 



The average ])remiuni in tlicsf markets would n<il be over one- 

 half cent a quart after express charges were deducted, and before 

 commission charges. However, there would also be the cost of de- 

 livering theiTi to local markets and more time would be required for 

 jol)bing to stores than to ship to a city jobber or commission man. 



