198 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES, 
the public alike, and one which is crying out for investigation on a 
large scale, is the distribution and marketing of farm produce. Atten- 
tion has been drawn at many times to the discrepancy between the 
price realised by the producer and the price paid by the consumer 
for the same article. In connection with market-garden produce, for 
example, the Departmental Committee on the Settlement or Employ- 
ment on the Land of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers stated in their 
Report (Cd. 8182, 1916) that ‘the disparity between the retail prices 
paid for market-garden produce in the big towns and the small portion 
of those prices received by the growers is utterly indefensible. It 
demonstrates a degree of economic waste which would ruin any other 
industry.’ No evidence was published by the Committee as to the 
facts upon which this conclusion was based, but a recent inquiry made 
by the Ministry of Agriculture into the prices prevailing at various stages 
in the distribution of vegetables in London may be quoted in confirma- 
tion of it. Figures were collected to show the amount received by 
the producer, the wholesaler, and the retailers for various classes of 
everyday garden stuff, with results as shown below. 
PropucER’s, WHOLESALER’S, AND Reraiters’ Prices ror Marker- 
GARDEN Propucr, JANUARY 1921. 
Cabbages, Cabbages, | Cauli- 
Turnips, 
medium bottom flowers, Sprouts, Henin 
AL grade, grade, | top grade, top grade, grade, 
per doz. per doz. | per doz. per 28 lb. per ewt. 
ta cells Syd, |) pean Cr Sete ards 
Producer . ‘ é Ns ie 0 22 | 3 0 3.6 3.0 
Wholesaler 105 PK) Os Oy By Oo — 5 6 
Retailers— 
(a) Stalls and barrows 2 6 Dae othe” Ona C — 14 0 
(6) Suburban shops . 3 (0 Zeon a 8-0 — 14 0 
(c) Stores and high- | 
class-shops 4 0 SHOrgih MOP 14 0 18 8 
One has only to glance at the prevailing methods of distribution to 
realise their wastefulness. The street in which I live contains ten 
houses, and each day four milk-carts, three bakers’ carts, three grocers’ 
carts, and two butchers’ carts deliver food to them. Twelve men, 
horses, and carts, not to mention a host of errand-boys on foot and 
on cycles, to deliver food to ten families! While we are content with 
such a loose organisation of distribution as this represents, we must not 
wonder if the prices received by producers seem disproportionate 
to those paid by consumers, particularly when the produce 
partakes of the nature of market-garden stuff, bulky, perishable, and of 
low value. But apart from the question of methods of distribution, 
and the advantages to producer and consumer alike which would accrue 
from some co-operative organisation directed towards the elimination of 
unnecessary retailers who do no real service to either of them, an in- 
vestigation of transport and marketing costs would show to what extent 
they are being exploited by the distributor. The farmer suffers equally 
with the market-gardener. At the present time I am getting 1s. 9d. per 
5) eee 
