24



between $0.75 and $0.94. Thirty-two packinghouses had packing costs rang-

ing from $0.99 to $1.76 for the 4/5 bushel half Bruce box with 19 of these

firms ranging from $1.05 to $1.39. The 11 East Coast houses packing the

4/5 bushel fiberboard box were within the cost range of $0.72 and $1.19

and 28 other houses varied from $0.77 to $1.58. Fifteen of the other

houses had packing costs between $0.85 and $1.19. Packing costs for

the 8-pound mesh bag varied from $1.00 to $1.99 per box for 21 firms

with 11 between $1.10 and $1.34.

 The cost of packing in 5-pound mesh bags for 22 firms ranged

from $1.01 to $2.51 per box with 13 houses between $1.35 and $1.59.

Variation in cost for the 19 firms packing grapefruit in 5-pound

polyethylene bags in master cartons ranged from $1.28 to 2.52. Costs

for 8 houses fell within the range of $1.40 to $1.54.

 Tangerines.--Packing and selling costs for tangerines per

1-3/5 bushel equivalent ranged from $1.64 to $2.84 for the 4/5 bushel

half Bruce box for 24 firms; and for 4/5 bushel wirebound flat boxes

from $1.94 to $2.56 for 7 firms (Table 9).

 The costs of packing only for tangerines per 1-3/5 bushel

equivalent varied from $1.30 to $2.36 for 4/5 bushel half Bruce boxes;

and from $1.41 to $2.23 for the 4/5 bushel wirebound flat box.


 Relationship of Seasonal Volume to Average
 Cost of Packing and Selling

 The data indicate some relationship between the seasonal volume

of fruit handled and the total packing and selling cost. Houses with

the larger volumes tended to have lower unit costs, however, because

of the reduced fresh volume some houses experienced this *:eason as a