Canners' cost of high-quality raw apricots in 1960 averaged about $60 per short ton in 
Australia, $61 in South Africa, and $90 in the United States. In Spain the cost for unselected 
or orchard-run raw fruit delivered at the orchard ranged from $76 to $94 per ton. During the 
same season, high-quality peaches averaged about $80 per ton in Australia, $66 in South Africa, 
$57 in the United States, and in the Murcia area, $83 to $106 per ton was the price for un- 
selected fruit at the orchard. After the canners pay for hauling to the plant and cull the unde- 
sirable fruit, their fresh fruit costs are considerably higher, Canners estimated that raw fruit 
suitable for canning--delivered at the plant--averages about $120 per ton for both apricots and 
peaches. They stated that at times the cost of apricots ran up to $150 per ton while peaches 
ranged from $90 to $140 per ton. 
Many of the new plantings of deciduous fruits are being made by canners for the purpose of 
lowering the present high fruit costs andto provide more fruit for processing. 
Labor and Wages 
Spain possesses an abundance of labor. However, labor and management are faced with 
three problems: Unemployment, underemployment, and immobility. Spanish labor, except on 
farms, has minimum wages and various fringe benefits, so the wages of the agricultural worker 
remain at a low level compared with those received by U.S. agricultural workers. 
Farm and Orchard 
Though permanent workers for farm and orchard are available at low cost, temporary 
workers, used mainly for fruit harvesting, are paid higher wages. 
Wages for permanent farm workers in 1960 were about $15 per month, These workers 
are furnished housing and some farm-produced food and receive paid vacation and regular 
bonuses, 
Temporary workers received about $1.67 per 5-hour day in 1960. Competition for this 
temporary labor during the short harvesting period is partially responsible for the higher 
wages. Also, the temporary workers do not receive fringe benefits, and the income they receive 
during this short period is the only source of cash many have during the year. Many of the 
harvest workers were reported to migrate to France during the harvest season, attracted by 
the higher wages there, and thus adding to the labor competition. 
Cannery 
In the canneries observed, most of the labor force was female--about half of which were 
teen-age girls. The labor supply was reportedly abundant, and came from villages near the plants. 
Transportation was furnished by the canneries. Workers seemed industrious, and were neat, 
usually dressed in uniforms and caps. Inquiry disclosed no labor unrest. Wash rooms and eating 
facilities were provided, 
Women were used exclusively in fresh fruit processing for canning, and also performed 
much of the manual work of moving fruit, filling and emptying cans, cartons, and so forth in 
baskets and pushcarts. Male workers usually operated the cannery machinery and trucks. 
Female workers were also used almost exclusively in tin can manufacture in the smaller plants. 
In the can manufacturing plant, females operated the machines under the supervision of male 
machinists, 
Wages of the female workers--all temporary but having minimum wages and some fringe 
benefits--were reportedly averaging about 67 cents cash per 8-hour day--from 33 to 80 cents 
per day. Wages for overtime were increased 25 percent per hour. Canners reported that their 
average cost per female worker was about $1.00 per day--67 cents in wages and the remainder 
in fringe benefit costs, 
In two of the larger plants visited, upward of 600 women were employed. During the peak 
canning periods, it was reported that the work force was often doubled, 
10 
