The Organization of the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market in Washington, D.C

Excerpts from the report Introduction: The Washington wholesale produce market is located in the midst of a metropolitan area of two million people. Competition from the larger Baltimore market 45 miles away restricts out-of-town sales by Washington wholesalers, making Washington somewhat of a local market. A significant part of the produce entering the Washington market comes from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. This report describes the organization and operation of the Washington wholesale fruit and vegetable market, the buying, selling, and operating practices of the wholesalers in the market, and the changes which have taken place during the past 30 years. This is part of a nationwide study of the organization and operations of wholesale fruit and vegetable markets made by the Marketing Economics Division of the Economic Research Service to describe and appraise the current status of wholesale markets and the changes which have taken place in them. This study should provide firms in the wholesale markets, shipping-point marketing firms, farmers, and interested citizens and public agencies with a better understanding of the forces at work in the marketing system for fresh fruits and vegetables. It will furnish a basis for making better decisions in adjusting to the changes taking place throughout the structure of marketing.