among the fresh fruit packers and processors.

 The location of the firms included was Polk County, 15; Orange County, 8;

Lake County, 5; Pinellas County, 2; and one each in Hillsborough, Pasco, Seminole

and Hernando Counties.

 Total volume of fruit handled varied widely between firms. Only one firm had

less than 100,000 boxes, and 9 firms had more than 1,000,000 boxes each.


 Services Performed

 The total costs of operation were obtained from the records of the firms. An

attempt was made to divide the total costs of operation into the following services or

functions:

 Buying and Selling.-- For specialized fruit dealers this is one of the services

performed in procuring and delivering fruit to the processing plant. Many different

types of arrangements are made with the grove owner as to the price of the fruit and

method of measurement. Dealers buy and sell fruit which they may pick and haul with

their own crews, or they may contract with other similar operators to pick and haul.

The costs of buying and selling fruit include salaries for management, office and buyers;

brokerage or commission; telephone and telegraph and auto and travel expense.

 Picking.--This is the operation of getting the fruit off the tree and into the high-

way truck. The costs in this study represent the cost per box for the operator's own crews,

but not for contract crews. The principal costs of performing this service are labor, fuel,

repairs, licenses, insurance and depreciation for the grove trucks, crew trucks, loading

machines, and other picking equipment, and management and office salaries.

 Hauling. -- This refers to hauling fruit from the roadside to the processor or fresh