With the quantity of fish and shellfish held in freezing establishments and cold-storage houses throughout the country now at the highest point in history for this season of the year, officials of the Office of the Coordinator of Fisheries expressed concern on August 8 over the lack of storage space for the heavy landings expected during the late summer and fall months. Holdings of frozen fish totaled 90 million pounds on July 1, an increase of 50 percent over holdings on the same date last year and approximately one-third above the average quantity in storage at this season during the past five years. Sharing the concern of the Coordinator's Office, the fishing industry reports that in most sections, little freezer space that can be made available for fishery products remains, and in some areas, capacity has already been reached. The period of peak production in the fishing industry normally comes during the fall, but the Coordinator's Office pointed out that unless quantities of the fish now on hand are moved promptly into trade channels, it will be impossible to handle the catches that can be made during this season and production will be adversely affected. Transportation difficulties and shortage of help in retail stores are believed to be among the causes contributing to the unusual quantity of fish remaining in storage. While the increase in supplies of frozen fish is noticeable in all sections of the country, the central region and the Atlantic coast from Maine to Virginia report the sharpest gains. In the north central states, holdings have been virtually doubled; in the New England, Middle Atlantic, and South Central States increases run from 69 to 75 percent. A 14 percent increase is reported for both the Pacific and South Atlantic Coasts. While holdings of a few species show little change compared with last year, many favorite food fishes are available in greatly increased quantities. Mackerel has increased from 3 million pounds in storage last year to 9 million pounds. Also available in much larger quantities are cod, haddock, rosefish, and whiting among New England species; scup, shad, and croakers in the Middle and South Atlantic sections; and blue pike, lake herring, and lake trout in the Great Lakes area. OPA REVISES RETAIL CEILINGS ON PAN FROZEN FISH New amendments to MPR-422 and 423 provide a special pricing method for fish bought frozen in blocks or cakes and separated prior to sale. Added to the regulations is a special pricing provision for retailers who purchase whole fish (round, drawn, or dressed), panfrozen in a solid cake or block, from which the individual fish must be separated prior to offering for sale. When retailers purchase pan-frozen fish, they must perform the additional function of separating the individual fish from the solid block or cake which is done either by chopping or thawing. Incidental to this operation of separation is a shrinkage in addition to the normal shrinkage of frozen fish, resulting in a lower yield for the retailer than the weight on which he must figure his net cost. The mark-up heretofore established for frozen fish did not make allowance for the expense of this operation or the loss involved. The present amendments recognize this additional function by allowing the retailer to add one cent to his net cost before applying the permitted mark-up under the regulation. Excerpts from Amdt. 23 to MPR-422, and Amdt. 24 to MPR-423, which became effective August 14, follow: MPR 422. Amdt. 23 A new section 21a is added to read as follows: SEC. 21a. Ceiling prices for fish bought "pan-frozen" in blocks of cakes. If you purchase whole fish, round, drawn, or dressed which has been "pan-frozen" in a solid cake or block of 10 pounds or more, and if prior to offering for sale you break or separate the individual fish from the cake or block, and offer it for sale as whole fish, round, drawn or dressed, you may add 1 cent per pound to your "net cost." Section 39 (b) (5) is amended to read as follows: OPA ALLOWS RETAILERS MARGIN FOR PROCESSING OF SMOKED AND FROZEN FISH Provisions of Amdt. 24 to MPR-422 and of Amdt. 25 to MPR-423 provide a factor for shrinkage in processing frozen and smoked fish by retailers prior to the retail sale. With respect to frozen fish, the amendments make explicit an existing interpretation of the regulations, accordingly, now expressly provide that when the retailer processes an item of frozen fish prior to offering it for sale, he must use as his "net cost" the maximum price established in MPR-364 for his supplier's sales to him of that style of dressing. Since MPR-364 does not state prices for cuts or steaks of some species of frozen salt-water fish under retail control, it has been necessary to provide a pricing method in such instances. In such cases, the retailer will start with the maximum price of his supplier in MPR-364 for the fish bought dressed, and multiply by 1.40. This multiplier takes care of the normal shrink loss that occurs between the dressed form and the form of steaks or cuts in which the fish is ultimately sold to the consumer. The result, after the addition of transportation and container allowances permitted in MPR-364, is the retailer's "net cost" for the item. With respect to smoked fish, it has been necessary to provide a factor for shrinkage when the retailer purchases slabs and sells in slices, and when the retailer changes the form from drawn to dressed for sales either whole, in chunks, or in slices. To determine the percentage of shrink involved in these operations, several cutting tests were conducted with the assistance of members of the trade. These tests have demonstrated that under the existing mark-ups in MPR-422 and 423 retailers experience an out-of-pocket loss on such items. To determine the proper allowance for shrinkage, results of these tests have been analyzed and expressed in terms of multipliers. By applying these multipliers to the retailer's "net cost" for smoked fish items, the retailer's "net cost" will be increased to. a figure more closely related to his actual cost after processing shrinkage. The multipliers which are specified in the accompanying amendments will therefore serve to permit, at least, recovery of direct out-of-pocket expenses for sales of these items. This represents the maximum increase available under existing standards of the OPA. At the present time, problems in respect to smoked, frozen and fresh fish are being studied with a view toward simplification and consolidation of the retail mark-up regulations governing these commodities. Excerpts from the amendments follow: MPR 422, Amdt. 24 CEILING PRICES OF CERTAIN FOODS SOLD AT A new section 20 (n) is aed to read as follows: (n) Frozen fish which you process. (1) If, prior to offering for sale any item of frozen fish, you process it by changing its form to either gutted imum Price Regulation No. 364. (2) If, prior to offering for sale any item of frozen saltwater fish, you process it by changing its form to cuts or steaks (sliced), and if Maximum Price Regulation No. 364 does not fix a price for that style of dressing, you will figure your "net cost" as follows: Find the price per pound fixed, at the time you process it, in Maximum Price Regulation No. 364 for your supplier's sales to you of that kind of fish bought dressed. Multiply that price by 1.40. (Add the transportation and container allowances specified in Maximum Price Regulation No. 364.) The resulting figure will be your "net cost" per pound for the item. To get your ceiling price per pound, apply the mark-up for your group of retailer to the resulting figure. A new section 20 (o) is added to read as follows: (0) Smoked fish which you process. (1) If you buy smoked fish in the form of slabs (gutted, headed and halved) and sell it in slices, you shall multiply your "net cost" per pound for the item by 1.20. To get your ceiling price per pound for such slices, apply the mark-up for your group of retailer to the resulting figure. (2) If, prior to offering for sale, you change the form of an item of smoked fish bought drawn (gutted) to dressed Section 38 (b) (13) is amended to read as follows: (13) "Frozen foods" means packaged quick-frozen or cold-packed foods, sold from refrigerated cabinets or lockers, including, but not limited to all fruits, berries, fruit or berry juices, and mixtures (except any of the foregoing in containers of a capacity of 50 pounds or more), vegetables, vegetable juices and mixtures, including mushrooms, dog and MPR 423, Amdt. 25 CEILING PRICES OF CERTAIN FOODS SOLD AT 1. Section 18 (c) is amended to read as follows: cat food not prepared by you for pet food, apple sauce, macaroni and spaghetti products, chop suey, gravies, pork-andbeans, soups, food products in which meat, chicken, turkey, fish or seafood are combined with other ingredients, meat stews, and corned beef hash. Excluded are frozen pies and pastries, frozen meat, poultry, fish and seafood, ice cream, sherbet and frozen confections. Quickfrozen and cold-packed frozen foods shall be considered as separate items, and priced separately. This amendment shall become effective August 26, 1944. Issued this 21st day of August 1944. (c) Section 20. How you figure your "net cost" in certain cases. Applies to you if you process frozen fish or smoked fish prior to offering it for sale. Section 27 (b) (13) is amended to contain definition of "frozen foods" same as MPR-422. This amendment shall become effective August 26, 1944. Issued this 21st day of August 1944. Canned and Cured Fish Trade SHRIMP PACK SMALL IN JULY The pack of shrimp by plants operating under the Seafood Inspection Service of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, was negligible in July, normally a month of limited shrimp canning activity, according to the New Orleans Fishery Market News office. The July pack for 1944 was too small to occasion. the issuance of a monthly summary of operations. Wholesale quotations on August 1 for canned shrimp in plain No. 1 standard tins, f.o.b. point of production, were reported by Gulf Coast packers as follows: These prices are the maximum prices set by OPA, effective February 2, 1943, and revised June 1, 1944. SEVEN-MONTH CALIFORNIA TUNA PACK 45 PERCENT ABOVE 1943 The pack of tuna by California canners during July increased 36 percent over June, and was 12 percent more than during July 1943, according to information released by the California Division of Fish and Game. The July pack totaled 373,550 standard cases compared with 272,985 cases packed during June and 333,984 cases in July 1943. The main items canned were tuna flakes, yellowfin, bluefin, and albacore tuna. The total pack for the first seven months of 1944 amounted to 1,522,920 cases, exceeding that of the similar period in 1943 by 45 percent. The July mackerel pack amounted to 1,823 cases compared with 440 cases canned in June, and 465 cases canned in July 1943. The seven-month pack for 1944 was 86,818 standard cases, a decrease of 10 percent as compared with the same period in 1943. 1,823 To tal Mackerel 96,264 *Standard cases of tuna represent cases of 48 7-ounce cans, while those of mackerel represent cases of 48 1-pound cans. 272,985 333,984 1,522,920 1,047,294 1944 SALMON PACK TOTALS 2 MILLION CASES AT END OF JULY At the end of July, Alaska's pack of canned salmon was trailing the 1943 total to that date by 22 percent, according to figures collected and compiled by the Seattle office of the Service's Division of Alaska Fisheries. To July 29, 2,505,024 standard cases had been packed, compared with 3,195,539 cases packed in 1943 to July 31. The average for the five previous years was 3,144,521 for the corresponding portion of the season. Almost complete figures for Western Alaska were included in the totals, Central Alaskan operations were probably over half completed, while Southeastern Alaskan canning was yet in its earlier stages. U. S. civilians are expected to receive slightly more canned fish during the 1944-45 pack year than was allocated for the corresponding period in 1943-44, the WFA said on August 8, in announcing canned fish allocations for the period July 1, 1944 to June 30, 1945. Civilians are expected to receive 365.9 million pounds or 48 percent of the total available supply of about 762 million pounds of canned fish. This will provide a per capita consumption of about 2.8 pounds as compared with 2.5 pounds per person during the corresponding period in 1943-44. Allocations to the U. S. military and war services are 170.7 million pounds, 22.4 percent of the total allocation. This is almost 87 million pounds over the allocations made our Armed Forces last year. Approximately 225.4 million pounds or 29.6 percent of the canned fish allocation will be shipped to our territories, Allies, liberated areas, other friendly nations, and the Red Cross. About 43 percent of the expected available supply of canned fish is salmon and 24 percent, pilchards, the remainder being made up of Maine sardines, Atlantic sea herring, mackerel, tuna, shrimp, and other minor varieties. Allocations represent the planned division of expected supplies of food among U. S. civilians, the Armed Forces, the Allies and other friendly nations and liberated areas. Each group presents its requirements to the Food Requirements and Allocations Committee. The Civilian Requirements Branch of the Office of Distribution, WFA, represents U. S. civilian consumers. The civilian per capita consumption of canned fish averaged 4.9 pounds per person from 1935 to 1939. This dropped to 3.4 pounds in 1942 and to 2.5 pounds in 1943, but it is expected to go up to 2.8 this year. Although fresh and frozen fish has not been allocated for the 1944-45 fiscal year, it is estimated that the available supply will be about 728 million pounds--slightly more than for 1943-44. Of this, civilians will receive at least 634 million pounds, or about 4.9 pounds per person. U. S. RESERVES LARGER CANNED SALMON QUOTAS FOR WFA PURCHASE Increase in the percentages of four grades of canned salmon, required to be reserved from the current pack, for delivery to Government agencies, was announced on August 29 by the War Food Administration. The increase in the quantity required to be reserved for military and war services was made necessary because the 1944 pack is running considerably short of the pre-season estimate. The action, taken in Amdt. 5 to War Food Order No. 44, increases from 60 percent to 70 percent, the amount of canned red, coho, and pink salmon to be reserved. Chum salmon percentage is increased from 40 to 70 percent. King (chinook) salmon remains unchanged at 60 percent, and percentages applying to all other classes of canned fish also remain unchanged. The amendment, effective August 30, provides that canned salmon already tendered to Government agencies and canned salmon sold or entitled to be sold to civilians under the conditions of Amdt. 3 of the order, will be exempt from the increased percentages. All other 1944 pack canned salmon of the specified grades, is subject to the revised percentages. Excerpts follow: (1) By deleting the provisions or § 1465.20 (b) (2) and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following: (2) Seventy percent, by net weight, of each canner's 1944 pack of each of the classes numbered 1, 2, 3, or 5 (designated in (b) (1) hereof) is hereby established as his respective quotas of the 1944 pack of such classes for sale or delivery to government agencies: Provided, That, for the purpose of making such computations, there shall not be considered as a part of the 1944 pack of any such class any portion thereof which, at 12:01 a. m., p. w. t., August 30, 1944, the particular canner has either (i) delivered to government agencies, or with respect to which he has submitted a written tender to government agencies in accordance with the conditions of a written contract; or (ii) has sold, or has on hand unsold which he is entitled to sell, pursuant to the provisions of this order, to persons other than government agencies. Sixty percent, by net weight, of each canner's 1944 pack of the class numbered 4 (designated in (b) (1) hereof) is hereby established as his quota of his 1944 pack of such class for sale or delivery to government agencies. Forty-five percent, by net weight, of each canner's 1944 pack of each of the classes numbered from 6 to 9, inclusive (designated in (b) (1) hereof), for the period March 1, 1944, to June 24, 1944, both dates inclusive, and 55 percent, by net weight, of each canner's 1944 pack of each of the classes numbered from 6 to 9, inclusive (designated in (b) (1) hereof), for the period June 25, 1944, to February 28, 1945, both dates inclusive, are hereby established as each canner's respective quotas of his 1944 pack of each of the said classes numbered from 6 to 9, inclusive, for sale or delivery to government agencies. No canner may sell or deliver, in the aggregate, to government agencies, a total quantity, by net weight, of his 1944 pack of any class of canned fish (designated in (b) (1) hereof) in excess of a quantity of canned fish equal to the percentage of his 1944 pack of such class plus 60,000 pounds, by net weight. of the canned fish of such class. (2) By deleting §§ 1465.20 (b) (3) and (4) and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following: (3) For each 70 pounds of canned fish of any class numbered either 1, 2, 3, or 5 (designated in (b) (1) hereof) which a canner has sold or delivered to government agencies, or with respect to which he has submitted to government agencies a written tender of delivery of such canned fish in compliance with a written contract between such canner and such government agencies, such canner may sell or deliver 30 pounds of canned fish of the same class to persons other than government agencies: Provided, That, prior to the time of each such written tender, such canner had obtained, with respect to the canned fish included in such written tender, an inspection certificate, issued by an inspection service approved by the government agency to which the tender has been made, indicating that such canned fish meets all the specifications set forth in such canner's written contract for such canned fish. (4) For each 60 pounds of canned fish of the class numbered 4 (designated in (b) (1) hereof) which a canner has sold or delivered to government agencies, or with respect to which he has submitted to any government agency a written tender of delivery of such canned fish in compliance with a written contract between such canner and government agency, such canner may sell or deliver 40 pounds of canned fish of the same class to persons other than government agencies: Provided, That, prior to the time of each such written tender, such canner had obtained, with respect to the canned fish included in such written tender, an inspection certificate, issued by an inspection service approved by the government agency to which the tender has been made, indicating that such canned fish meets all the specifications set forth in such canner's aforesaid written contract for such canned fish. WFA STATES DIFFERENTIALS FOR ADDITIONAL SALMON CASING REQUIREMENTS Supplement No. 2 to WFA's Offer of Sale Form FSC-1873--Canned Alaska Salmon--issued August 11, provided differentials for certain casing requirements not previously included in Form FSC-1873. |