THE CUBA REVIEW And Bulletin. 



CUBAN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



Season in New York about over for Cuban vegetables — Pineapples now arriving 

 freely and outlook favorable for a successful season. 



Specially written for The CUBA REVIEW liy Criier-Burry Company, New York. 



Cuban vegetables are still arriving in fair quantit3^ receipts last week footing 

 lip to nearly 5,000 packages, and steamer in first of this week brought over 1,000 

 packages. The season is so late, however, that the market is liberally supplied 

 with nearer by vegetables, not only from southern sections, but some early varieties 

 have appeared from points adjacent to and even further north than New York- 

 Prices prevailing for most vegetables at present are so low that the Cuban products 

 are not meeting with much favor, and the season is closing, commission receivers 

 here discouraging shipments of most vegetables from Cuba for balance of the 

 season. Cold waves and unfavorable weather in sections south, from which vege- 

 tables are shipped in competition with Cuban, combined to limit supplies early in the 

 season, and prices have ruled comparatively high for most stock, so that Cuban 

 shippers have had a most profitable season on stock shipped to this market. 



Tomatoes have probably been the most profitable article shipped, though nearly 

 all vegetables have realized enough to clear a margin on bulk of the shipments. 

 At present the market is very heavily supplied with tomatoes from Florida, arrivals 

 reaching 30,000 or 40,000 crates per week of late, and the high prices which have 

 ruled until just at the close show to some extent the unusually large outlet for 

 them on this market, and lead us to believe that there is little or no chance for 

 Cuban growers to overstock this market. This applies to a more or less extent to 

 many other vegetables and to fruits as well. Late receipts of Cuban vegetables have 

 sold comparatively low, dealers turning to nearer by products, and prices have 

 ruled irregular, especially as much of the stock is weak and of quality to necessitate 

 prompt use, so that shipping trade has almost entirely discontinued buying Cuban 

 stock. Late sales of Cuban tomatoes have been at $1 @ 1.50 per carrier, peppers 

 $1 @ 2 per carrier, okra $1 @ 2.50 per carrier, eggplants $1.50 (ai 2.75 per box, lima 

 beans $2 (g 3 per crate, and these prices are evidently realizing little or no profit,, 

 so that shipments should now be discontinued. 



Cuban onions are in very limited supply, only scattering crates, in fact and 

 they would sell readily at $1.75 or more per crate, as Bermuda, which are 'very 

 plenty— about 50,000 crates this week— are bringing $1.65 @ 1.75 and Texas $1 go (5) 2 

 per crate. 



Cuban potatoes would also find ready sale at $4.50 (a 5.50 per barrel, as Bermuda 

 are brmgmg $5 @ 6 and some recent receipts from Cuba showing quality equal to 

 Bermuda have brought as much, in instances more. 



Pineapples are now arriving freely from Cuba, . nearly 30,000 crates being 

 received last week and first steamer in this week brought 4,264 crates. The market 

 has sagged down slightly of late owing to the increasing supplies, but prices are still 

 high and not expected to go materially lower than at present in view of the fact 

 that there are no arrivals of importance from Florida or other sections. Late sales 

 of Cuban have been at $3.50- @ 3.75, rarely $4 for 24s, with 30s ranging from 

 ?2.75 @ 3.25 and smaller sized fruit lower in proportion, down to about $2 @ 2 25 

 for 42s. Considering the fact that the pineapples arriving from Havana are as well 

 ^- ".°t better packed and graded than fruit from any other section, it may seem 

 of little irnportance to caution shippers further upon this important point, but some 

 stock received from Cuban sections other than Havana are miserably sorted and 

 packed, and such fruit has to be shaded in value as buyers want fruit of uniform size 

 and neglect marks where crates contain stock running irregular One reason 

 buyers are so particular relative to the size is that if the crate is not snugly packed 

 the pineaoples are more apt to shift and become bruised in transit sufficiently to 

 attect their selling value. 



Advices from Cuba indicate that the pineapple crop will be equal to that of 

 last year, i h e dry weather has caused the season to be a little later and fruit of 

 smaller size, but the same conditions have prevailed in Florida where reports state 

 tliat the crop will be much later than usual, and with dry weather there also the 



Luban truit will have more chance to be well marketed before Florida commences 

 to ship heavily. And with market depending almost entirely on Cuba before season 

 "^"°ns for Florida fruit, pric« 



major portion of the sea 



New York, May 7, 1907. 



^r^^ ( -CI -J r . _---"-^vv.i, uv-p^iiujiij- diiii.jM ciiLuciy uH K^uDSL Deiore season 



opens tor l^lorida fruit, prices are expected to rule comparatively high throughout 

 the major portion of the season. -^ = » 



