MARKETING OF BERMUDA ONIONS 35 
Egyptian importations. 11 By the time the season opened a month 
later public sentiment was reversed only to become suddenly pessi- 
mistic again with increased shipments. 
A large part of the 1920 crop was shipped on consignment, the 
shipments made by this method before May 1 generally yielding 
an extra profit of $1 a crate over f. o. b. track sales. By that date 
prices in terminal markets had declined so abruptly that consignment 
sales were less profitable. 
PRICES IN 1921 
Bermudas were ready lor the harvest earlier in 1921 than at any 
time since 1916. This was unfortunate for the growers this year, 
because northern markets were choked with old onions. The largest 
carry over of northern onions for the 8-year period was being sold 
for as low as 50 cents per 100-pound bag. Under these conditions 
it was impossible for Bermuda onions to sell at very high prices. 
Some of the northern markets paid up to $3 a crate for the very 
earliest Bermudas, but the shipping-point price did not exceed 
$1.25 at any time and most of the crop was sold by the growers at 
between 70 and 85 cents. Crystal Wax sold about 25 cents higher. 
Freight rates were an unusually important factor. The trade 
papers of the time are filled with references to the hardships imposed 
by excessive transportation cost. Transportation cost per crate 
was only 20 to 40 cents higher than in 1916, but the peak of high 
ireight rates coming in this year of lowest prices was very noticeable. 
At one time in the season the average freight bill was actually more 
than the price paid at Laredo for the onions. 
The price became so low at shipping points that it was hardly 
profitable to harvest and market the onions. In late April and early 
May, commercial-pack Yellow Bermudas brought only 60 cents per 
crate loaded in cars at the shipping point, only 30 cents above the 
cost of the empty shipping crate. 
Conditions finally became so intolerable that a growers' and 
shippers' committee was formed, as in 1916, to limit shipments to the 
amount that could be absorbed and to distribute the shipments of 
all factors in such a way that all markets would receive their due 
proportion. The committee further recommended that cars be 
loaded to minimum capacity only, and that only grades No. 1 and 
No. 2 be shipped. Curtailing of shipments seems to have improved 
the situation to some extent, for prices held fairly well at terminal 
markets during the last month and improved slightly at Laredo. 
In this season only about 1,000 acres were financed because, 
although farmers were generally willing to sell or contract, dealers 
were unwilling to take the risk. A few crops were contracted but 
brought only about 90 cents to $1 a crate. Dealers were generally 
unwilling to buy, and about a third of the movement was necessarily 
on a consignment basis. 
PRICES IN 1922 
Profiting by the experience of 1919, the 1922 growers did not reduce 
acreage materially after the disastrous season of 1921. More cars 
were marketed than in 1921, and yet the 1922 prices received were 
exceeded only by those of 1919. Initial prices were based on the 
extremely high prices paid for the few remaining old onions on the 
» New York Packer, Mar. 13, 1920, p. 22A. 
