Please see the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this text.
The Market Reporter
Published Weekly by the
United States Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates
| Washington, D. C. | OCTOBER 8, 1921. | Vol. 4, No. 15 |
GROWERS HOLD CLOVER SEEDFOR HIGHER PRICES.
Quality of 1921 Crop About Same as Thatof last Year—Alsike Clover SeedMovement Normal.
The movement of red clover seed fromgrowers’ hands has been below normal, butthat of alsike clover has been fully normal,according to reports received by the Bureauof Markets and Crop Estimates during theweek ending Oct. 1. There is a tendencyon the part of the growers of red clover seedto hold their seed because the crop, whichis now being thrashed in many sections, isnot turning out any better than was expectedat harvest time and as reported inThe Market Reporter for Sept. 10.
Although clover prices on Sept. 27 weremostly 50¢ to $1 per 100 lbs. lower than theywere a month ago, they have shown littleor no change during the past week or tendays. The quality of red and alsike cloveris about equal or slightly inferior to that oflast year’s stock. Rains during the last twoweeks of September have discolored orbleached much of the seed in some sections.
MOVEMENT SLOW.
Red Clover.—In a number of importantsections only 5 to 25% of the red clover seedcrop had been sold by growers at the end ofSeptember. This season’s movement, however,has exceeded the belated movementof the 1920 crop, but has been a little slowerthan usual. Growers see evidences of ashort crop in their immediate vicinity, andin view of the fact that prices offered are onan average $2 to $4 per 100 lbs. lower thanlast year, and $25 to $28 lower than two yearsago at a corresponding time, they are notinclined to sell freely. In a few sections,particularly southwestern Ohio and southeasternIowa, the movement has been considerablyabove normal, the growers alreadyhaving sold 45% and 35%, respectively, oftheir crops.
The average prices offered to growers invarious sections on Sept. 27 for clean seed, asshown in the accompanying table, rangedfrom $14.60 per 100 lbs. in southwestern Iowato $17.25 in southwestern Ohio, comparedwith a range of $17.25 to $22 at a correspondingtime last year.
The imports of red clover seed during July,August, and September totaled 1,792,900 lbs.compared with 305,200 lbs. during the samemonths a year ago. These heavy imports ofold seed from Europe and South Americahave tended to depress prices for domesticseed. French, German, and Italian correspondentsstate that large quantities of redclover seed were sold during July and Augustand consequently stocks of old seed havebeen reduced greatly. The 1921 crop inthese and other European countries was reportedto be much below normal because ofthe drought during the summer, and it willbe needed for sowing the acreage there nextspring.
The quality of the seed in