MARKETING
The marketing of the California almond crop is at present on a firmer basis than at any time in the past. Previous to 1910 there was little or no coöperation among growers and the buyers had everything their own way. In May of that year, however, Mr. J. P. Dargitz, an almond grower near Acampo, California, successfully organized the California Almond Growers’ Exchange, consisting of nine local associations with a total membership of 230 growers. The Exchange started business with $1000 borrowed capital, personally guaranteed by the directors. On June 1, 1918, there were 22 sub-associations representing about 2000 growers, controlling about three-fourths of the crop. The Exchange now is not only out of debt but owns investments aggregating $100,000 in value, including warehouses, a central shelling plant and other property. At the same time, the growers have been receiving about 50 per cent more for their almonds than before the Exchange was organized.
The success of the Exchange, with the consequent higher prices to the grower, has resulted in a large increase in the acreage of almonds in California. This increase is making it necessary to develop new markets to absorb the greater tonnage, and this can only be done effectively or satisfactorily by coöperative effort.
Heretofore, California almonds have been marketed chiefly in the shell. A small proportion has been cracked annually to supply western brokers and confectioners, and practically all of these have been sold west of the Rocky Mountains. Only the whole nuts have been shipped to the eastern markets.
The European crops are sent to the United States largely as kernels and have had a practical monopoly of the shelled almond business east of the Rockies. The Tarragonas and Valencias shipped to America come into direct competition with the I.X.L., Drake, Languedoc and other California almonds, all of which are unshelled for the eastern markets. The imports of unshelled almonds average about the same as the California production. The Jordan, Princess and other varieties, however, come in shelled, constituting the bulk of the importations. The Jordan, because of its superior quality, is in a class by itself and does not compete at present with the California product. The Princess and other almonds of that type are much the same as the California shelling varieties and will be serious competitors when sold in the same markets.[4]
Storing.—Almonds awaiting removal or sale will become rancid if stored in warm or damp places. If the almonds have been properly cared for during the handling process to prevent worm infection, and if the nuts have been thoroughly cured, they will keep satisfactorily for a year or more. The ideal condition is to keep them stored in a uniformly cool, dry storage place with ample ventilation.