On a volume basis, approximately three-fourths is retailed in

 sleeves and the remainder banded. The proportion sleeved was 70

 percent in Philadelphia, 73 percent in Boston, and 78 percent in

 Detroit (Table 17).


 Table 17.--Type of celery packaging used by retailers as a percent
 of total volume, by market area

 Type of Packaging
 Market Area Banded eeved Totals

 ---------Percent----------

 Philadelphia 30 70 100

 Boston 27 73 100

 Detroit 22 78 100

 All Areas 26 74 100



 Reworking


 All retail executives were asked what proportion of their whole

stalks was usually reworked before being sold, but few could answer

with precision. The type of packaging, turnover rate, and produce

managers' attitude toward maintaining freshness and quality influence

the amount of reworking that is done to whole celery stalks.

 Sleeving greatly reduces the necessity of reworking. Four of

those interviewed felt that less than one percent of the sleeved celery

had to be reworked. Most of the others would not specify a percentage,

but said that the quantity reworked was "minimal," or "very, very

small." However, firms that were retailing banded celery reported that

10 to 20 percent was reworked.