Annual Report -5- 



The devaluation of the pound and the Comnon Market situation 

 have imposed further econoialc obstacles. 



It is essential that foreign raarkets not only he raaintained but 

 increased as our own domestic crops reach fuirillmcnt in production, 

 otherwise domestic markets will be in Jeopardy. 



Kost of the apples exported wero handled by "containerlzation" 

 vessels this year as thoy were last year. By this nethod the trailer 

 itself is lifted off the truck ehasais onto a specialy designed boat 

 and becomes the container on the vessel. It in then put onto another 

 chassis nt tho foreign port and so arrives at its destination with 

 prnstioally no handling of the fruit. This results In the final con- 

 sumer gottlnp" e better and wore useful product. 



The Port of Doston is sot up to handle this contf Inerlzation at 

 Castle Island. But because of unsettled labor conditions and a lack 

 of equipment, all the container trailers, Involving many thousands 

 of cartons of apples, had to be diverted to the Port of ffew York, 

 tnus causing delay and an added expense to Massachusetts sVilppers. 



Potato inspections held at almost the same level as last year 

 but all indications point to a greater use of this service next year. 



Since agrioulturnl crop yields are subject to the whims of 

 Nature, it is often difficult to determine In advance Just where 

 our inspection servicer will be needed in a.i upcoming season but by 

 careful attention to crop estlaates, weather oonditlons and other 

 technical data, the Division has been able to oov^r all inspections 

 with a mlnlnum of delay to shippers and reoeivers even though the 

 inspection service is badly undermanned. 



Cranberry Inspections also held qt about the same level as last 

 year. In recent years such new products as cranberry Juice cocktail 

 and combinations of cranberry Julte with other fruit Julees, among 



