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Abstract
A USDA survey of U.S. refiners of edible fats and oils shows these major highlights: (1) Maximum annual refining capacity is expanding. As of September 30, 1967, it totaled 12.7 billion pounds. (2) The industry operated at about two-thirds of its estimated maximum annual capacity for refining, further processing, and producing finished products during the year ended in September 1967. (3) About four-fifths of the refiners produced finished products. The total pack of edible fats and oils during 1966/67 was 8.6 billion pounds--4.5 billion pounds of liquids and 4.1 billion pounds of solids. (4) Factors cited as limiting achievement of maximum production capacity included: (a) limited capacity of individual pieces of processing equipment or space for storage; (b) plant shutdowns resulting from breakdowns, repair, and maintenance of operating equipment; and (c) availability of skilled manpower, raw materials, power to run machinery and transportation. (5) The refining industry worked, on an average, about 48 weeks per year, 6 days per week, 2 to 3 shifts per day, and 8 hours per shift when producing intermediate and finished products during the year ended in September 1967.