Files
Abstract
Excerpts from the report: California is the leading State in the production of cauliflower. The climate and soil along the coast are well suited for almost year-around production. The number of acres planted and the yield per acre have increased steadily during the 1950's. During the decade of the 1950's, the cost of labor, packing materials, and transportation in the cauliflower industry has continued to rise. Research on California cauliflower shipments was conducted from January to March in 1957, in March and April 1958, and from March to May in 1959. Thirteen packing plants along the coast from Centerville in north central California to Guadalupe in south central California cooperated in these studies. In 1957 and 1958, economic data on direct labor, packing materials, transportation, and refrigeration costs were obtained. The detailed objectives of this study were to (1) determine the comparative requirements for direct labor in packing the various containers and in using different packing methods and procedures, (2) determine the approximate amount of edible cauliflower in each type of container, (3) assist shippers in developing and adopting more efficient packaging operations, (4) determine transportation and refrigeration costs, (5) determine arrival condition at both terminal and retail levels of cauliflower by type of container, and (6) obtain wholesale and retail trade reaction to the various containers.