4 BULLETIN 1109, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



5. The goal of cooperative marketing of perishable food products 

 is to obtain the highest average price which will move the entire sup- 

 ply year after year. To this end the adjustment of demand forces to 

 the supply of any given year requires a close study of ever-changing 

 conditions affecting the price of the product. By cooperation the 

 cranberry growers are in a position to employ specialized business 

 men capable of advising them regarding supply and demand forces 

 and their probable effect upon price and market conditions. Thus 



ACOMPARJSON OP CRANBERRY PRICES WITH THE 

 PRICES OF THREE COMMODIX'V LINES, SEASON l9aO-2l 



400 1 1 \ 1 1 1 \ , — - — — 1 1 1 \ 1 40O 



350 



300 



50 





































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CRANBERRIES 

 FARM PRODUCTS 

 CLOTHS AND CLOTHIN© 

 ALL COMMODITIES 

 I9I3=I00 





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n250 s?— — 



1 

 Z200 



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1921 



Fig. 3.— Prices of practically all commodity lines fell rapidly during the cranberry seUing season of 1920-21. 

 Cranberries were an exception to the rule. It should be noted that the price of cranberries at the opening 

 of the season was at a level much lower in proportion to the 1913 price than were the prices of the other 

 commodity lines shown. It is the poUcy of the growers' company to open the season with a low price 

 for the purpose of encouraging consumption. 



the growers put themselves in a position to gauge the factors which 

 influence the sale of their product and are better prepared to take 

 advantage of market conditions as they find them. Individually 

 the growers were unable to do this. 



6. The wide fluctuation in yields from year to year shows that the 

 exchange has little or no control over the volume produced. Hence 

 its energies are necessarily turned toward economies in marketing 

 and stimulation of consumption. These are matters over which 

 the growers acting as individuals can have but little control. 



