The Organization of the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market in Pittsburgh

Excerpts from the report Introduction: The Pittsburgh wholesale produce market supplies fresh fruits and vegetables to over 3 million people in southwestern Pennsylvania, southeastern Ohio, and substantial areas in West Virginia. It is the major market of western Pennsylvania, and the ninth largest market in the country. This report describes the organization and operation of the Pittsburgh wholesale fruit and vegetable market, the buying, selling, and operating practices of wholesalers in the market, and the changes that have taken place during the past 30 years. The information on which the report is based was obtained as a part of a nationwide study of the organization and operations of wholesale fruit and vegetable markets. The purpose of the study was to describe and appraise the current status of wholesale markets and the changes that had taken place in them. The finding should give firms in wholesale and shipping-point markets, farmers, interested citizens, and public agencies a better understanding of the forces at work in the marketing system for fresh fruits and vegetables, and provide a basis for making better decisions in adjusting to the changes taking place throughout the structure of marketing.