June, 1926] CAX WE PRODUCE MORE OF WHAT WE EAT? 45 



Relations between Producer and Retailer 



The relations between producer and retailer in most instances are happy 

 and businesslike. The retailers as a class were sympathetic and inter- 

 ested in soMng the difficulties of local production to supply the market. 

 However, since the many retailers buy from many farmers, many things 

 happen that approach sharp practice and which serve to discourage local 

 production. 



For instance, a retailer buys from a farmer paying market prices for a 

 certain commodity only to find that his competitor purchased the same- 

 thing, the same day, and from the same farmer at a much lower price, 

 which enabled him to feature this commodit}^ at a low price. Naturally^ 

 on the next occasion the first retailer attempts to buy below the market 

 price, in order to protect himself. This sort of procedure in different 

 variations means losses for both producers and retailer. In some in- 

 stances it has become the practice for both retailer and producer to falsify 

 concerning prices and demand. 



Contrasted with this condition is a market gardener who sells to the 

 retailers at the market price. Through favorable experience they have 

 come to respect his business ethics. They know that they will all be 

 treated alike and that the price will be about right considering local 

 supplies and Boston market. The retailer collects a margin above cost 

 and is satisfied. The producer gets a fair price and in the end the con- 

 sumer is better served. 



To build up such relationships as this is good business judgment. 



Price 



Many retailers, who were especially interested in this whole problem^ 

 stated that many times the}' were forced to buy outside because the local 

 producer was unwilling to adjust himself to the Boston market. In the 

 keen competition between rival stores they found it necessarj^ to ship in 

 vegetables to hold their customers, for a rival store underselling vegetables 

 would draw trade. 



Since the demand for vegetables during the competing season is pretty 

 well supplied by local producers, it is more often a problem of lowering the 

 cost of growing the vegetables now sold than in growing more. Ordinarily 

 at present the vegetables are grown in small units and with methods that 

 require much labor. While vegetables will require considerable labor 

 per unit of product, the use of the most modern equipment and best 

 methods should lead to lower costs. 



Criticism of Retailer 



The greatest criticism heard against the retailer was that occasionally 

 he may break the local market by shipping quantities of certain products 

 at harvest time. Sometimes it is claimed this is done to secure a supply 

 for storage at a low price, but more often it is merely the individual re- 

 tailer's method of advertising or drawing attention to his store. That 

 he may lose money on every unit sold does not seem to concern him if 

 this loss results in larger sales of other products. He little realizes that 

 tampering with the market in the case of a crop like strawberries works 



