20 " BULLETIN 302, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Europe. Apparently, American trade with markets below the 

 Equator has been conducted with profit both to the American shipper 

 and the South American importer. The consignment methods would 

 seem to decrease the profits per package, and it is possible that this 

 accounts for some of the opposition reported to have been encoun- 

 tered. It is too early to arrive at definite conclusions regarding the 

 effect of these consignments upon future business. 



At Buenos Aires, the chief market for this commodity, the cold- 

 storage facilities are considered to be excellent and space for short- 

 time storage costs from 1 to 1 J cents per box per day. Consignments 

 to Brazil have not been attempted. A duty of $1 per box is imposed 

 by the Brazilian Government, and this adds to the risk of shipping 

 fruits unsold. The chief market is Rio Janeiro, but the trade of that 

 city is considered to be somewhat controlled by one concern, which 

 operates the only cold-storage plant. It has been reported that a 

 Brazilian railway company with terminals at Rio Janeiro plans the 

 erection of a competing storage. If this plan is executed it is thought 

 the conditions in this market would be considerably improved for 

 receiving and handling consignments of American apples. 



The ocean freight and insurance amounts to $1.20 per box. The 

 facilities for safe transportation have been greatly improved within 

 the past two years, owing to an increase in the imporation of fresh 

 meat from Argentina. Refrigeration is necessary for meat trans- 

 portation, and the cold chambers are well suited to the transportation 

 of apples on the return journey. If trade in meat products between 

 South America and the United States continues to increase, the facili- 

 ties for handling large quantities of apples are expected so to improve 

 that space will be sufficiently available to justify lower rates. When 

 the cost of transportation and the usual trade margins are combined, 

 it will be seen that the selling price of apples in South America of neces- 

 sity must prohibit heavy consumption. If transportation facilities 

 can be improved so as to decrease the rates and the risk of deteriora- 

 tion in transit, it is believed that trade margins may be decreased 

 reasonably and that the result in price to the consumer will be such 

 as to encourage a large increase in shipments. 



In order to assure the safe transportation of apples to South 

 America it is necessary that the fruit be carefully selected, graded, 

 and packed by hand, special care being exercised to eliminate every- 

 thing that can not be classed as " Fancy" or "Extra fancy." The 

 box package is preferred for the reason that the fruit arrives in much 

 better condition than when packed in barrels. To illustrate the need 

 of care in this respect, the experience of an eastern fruit growers' 

 association may be given. Through its foreign agent the sale of 

 several carloads was made to a South American importer at 12 



