19 



Total warehouse space operated by the individual cooperatives ranged 

 from 24,000 to slightly over 1 million square feet, averaging approx- 

 imately 210,000 square feet. Floor space of individual cooperative 

 warehouses ranged from 24,000 to over 400,000 square feet. Ninety 

 percent or more of the space, as an average, was utilized as sale 

 floor area. 



Table 6. — -Number of warehouses operated by tobacco auction warehouse 

 cooperatives in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and 

 Virginia 



Associations reporting 



Warehouses 

 operated 



Number 



Number 



8 



1 



3 



2 



1 



3 



1 



4 



1 



8 



1 



16 



Local markets in which 

 warehouses are located 



Number 



1 

 1 

 1 

 4 

 6 

 3 



Warehouse basket capacity, or the number of baskets of tobacco which 

 can be displayed, is determined both by sale floor area available and 

 spacing arrangements designated by local market regulations or indi- 

 vidual warehouse rules. Individual associations' total basket capacity 

 ranged from 800 to about 25,000 baskets. Basket capacity of individual 

 warehouses operated by the associations ranged from 800 to 10,000 

 baskets. A smaller range of 1,000 to 3,000 baskets encompassed the 

 capacity of most warehouses. 



A distribution of total\ warehouse space and basket capacity operated 

 by the associations in 1957 is presented in table 7. Table 8 shows 

 average space and capacity for individual warehouses. 



Warehouse and Office Equipment 



The principal items of warehouse equipment acquired were baskets, 

 scales, and basket transportation devices, such as manually or power- 

 operated warehouse trucks and dollies. The major item of expense, 

 both initially and on a continuing basis, involved the purchase of 

 tobacco baskets. 



The number of baskets carried in inventory is usually determined by 

 basket capacity of the warehouse, sale time alloted to the warehouse, 

 rate of sale, and basket turnover rate at the redrying plant. The 

 average annual volume handled per basket in inventory varied widely 

 for the associations reporting, ranging from about 150 to 1,000 

 pounds of tobacco. 



