The Organization of the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market in Philadelphia

Excerpts from the report Introduction: The Philadelphia produce market is the fourth largest in the United States in terms of unloads of fruits and vegetables; only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago surpass it. The Philadelphia market is the main source of supply of fruits and vegetables for about 4 million people living in the metropolitan area. It also provides large quantities of fruits and vegetables to nearby densely populated areas along the Atlantic seaboard. This report describes the organization and operation of the Philadelphia 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. The information on which the report is based was obtained as part of a nationwide study of the organization and operations of wholesale produce markets. The purpose of the study was to describe and appraise the current status of wholesale markets and the changes which have taken place in them. The findings should give wholesale and shipping-point markets, farmers, and 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.