YUGOSLAV AGENCY TO PUBLISH COMMERCIAL REVIEW; DISCUSS SUPPLY PROBLEMS, PRICE VARIATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600400249-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 25, 2011
• Sequence Number: 249
• Publication Date: July 11, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL ZNHFIDENT'IAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY Yugoslavia
SUBJECT Economic - Internal trade, agriculture
HOW
PUBLISHED
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
Daily newspapers
Yugoslavia
28 Mar - 23 May 1951
Serbo-Croatian
OI TIN UNIT,, r7Aiaa nin1- m- -?'._.__
r. a. c.. al AND $2. AS nun's', m laArarlaftor o, Ira o n is 1.0 N
OF inoiTTLAN IN iooucno or TNli ions Is nwNIUIno. is
SOURCE
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1951
DATE DIST. // Jul 1951
NO. OF PAGES 4
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
YUGOSLnJ AGENCY TO PUBLISH COMMERCIAL REVIEW;
DISCUSS SUPPLY PROBLEMS, PRICE VARIATIONS
REVIEWS PROGRESS OF YUGOSLAV COMMERCE -- Zagreb, Borba, 23 May 51
Beginning with June the Yugoslav Commercial Agency will publish the Trgo-
vinski Pregled (Commercial Review) in Belgrade. The Trgovinski Pregled will be
issued every Wednesday, and will discuss commercial problems, especially prices.
Freeing itself more and more from the distribution system, Yugoslav com-
merce has progressed considerably within a short period. Commercial enterprises
ngm the market.
are displaying. greater initiative and are independently
consumer entering
They are discovering sources for purchasing goods consumer de in aquicktynt
and e&sily, and decisively stating and other producers.
and quality,
This was brought about by widespread decentralization of the commercial
ne~work, which is no longer bound by various administrative measures, inflexible
distribution plans, and similar measures which previously regulated trade. Com-
merical enterprise initiative also developed particularly after the introduc-
tion of a new metnod of remuneration in trade, by which enterprises became mate-.
rially interested in realizing more and more trade and steadily lowering prod.c-
tion costs.
Of substantial importance also is the transition to the free sale ,and free
formation of prices of industrial consumers' goods and agricultural
The commercial network has thus obtained broad potentialities fo- increasing
trade, particularly for improving trade between villages and cities, and thus
supplying the public better.
All of this presents fairly complex problems to Yugoslav commerce as a
whole, and especially to each commercial and production enterprise. The baBtc
problem is for production and commerce to unite as quickly and as economically
as possible. To-retain administrative ties which have heretofore frequently
proved economically unsound would be harmful to both enterprises and consumers.
Newspapers as indicated.
-1-
~Oy~I~E1~TIAl
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The ties must be exclusively economic ones.. But these cannot be achieved imme-
diately, nor can they be determined. by isolated srez, cities, or even republics,
which has been proved by past experience in froe trade and the free formation
of pri.ces..
The great variation in prices between different areas is a consequence of
unsatisfactory connections between production and commerce. Prices were fre-
quently determined according to supply and demand on the local market, or the
functioning of economic laws in individual economic centers rather than in the
nation as a whole, Such a situation permitted middlemen, purchasers, and their
representatives to take advantage of the variation in prices, resell various
products, and receive unwarranted and frequently very high profits, thereby
increasing pricee
Yugoslav commerce as a whole is not uniform, because of the disparity in
the economic development of the republics and individual regions in the past,
and because of the disparity in the distribution of industrial and agricul-
tural production throughout Yugoslavia. From this was derived the local ten-
dency to establish separate markets locally, causing still greater variations
and contributing to a greater disparity in prices.
Such weaknesses are gradually being removed. The prices of agricultural
and industrial products in the free market are gradually becoming uniform on
a general level which represents the real ratio between supply and demand
throughout the nation, Contributing considerably to this is the Information
Service of the Yugoslav Commercial Agency which was established 6 waeks ago.
This service, through its information network, has aided the commercial and
production enterprises in becoming familiar with the market situation, con-
sumer demands, prices, and selling conditions. The Information Service has
enabled trade organizations, without any administrative measures by the state,
to obtain better and more varied goods more quickly, and to place them at the
disposal of the consumer quickly,
Commercial agencies heretofore made their reports on radio broadcasts,
and at times through daily newspapers. These reports were quite incomplete
and limited mainly to quoting prices in various economic centers Enterprises
were unable to draw concrete conclusions from these reports, so that they
could sell their goods where conditions were most satisfactory, and the com-
mercial network could not intervene by moving large quantities of goods to
places where prices were higher.
Henceforth, the Commercial Agency, in its weekly newspaper, will review
wholesale and retail prices in all important markets, present an analysis and
commentary on the market situation, interpret new measures in commerce, pub-
licize special area information, and in special articles explain all technical
trade matters-
Commercial and production enterprises will thus obtain a broad review of
the situation in all Yugoslav markets They will come closer to the market,
better sense consumer needs, and produce and sell goods of the quality and
assortment which present conditions permit Yugoslavia to have and to sell.
PRICES VARY CONSIDERABLY -- Zagreb, VJesnik, 3 Apr 51
The Information Service on Market Opportunities and Prices of Industrial
Items, located in the most 'important cities in Yugoslavia, has been instrumen-
tal in clarifying supply problems in the cities and in districts economically
dependent on the cities. Wholese'e and retail commercial networks, and price
C0U j
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offices of city and srez people's councils and production enterprises are quickly
informed regarding the quantity of goods in individual markets, so that they can
apportion their work and production according to existing circumstances and con-
sumer demand.
Considerable variations in the prices of some industrial items in individual
_ities frequently arise because some commercial enterprises were influenced by a
momentary situation of greater or lesser demand for the items concerned. They
did not take into account that too low prices would quickly exhaust their inven-
tory, or that their goods would remain unsold because of unjustifiably high prices
which were not in accord with the general level of prices.
Some recent examples show there is still a tendency to set separate "polit-
ical prices" in some cities, or generally not to follow prices and the situation
and
in other markets, thus creating conditions for
two 50
resale of goods. An ordinary vater glass (pressed rssp
in Belgrade, 60 in Osijek, 120 in Rijeka, and 40 in Sarajevo. Window glass (2
millimeters thick) is being sold for 420 dinars in Zagreb; 500 in Rijeka; 600 in
Osijek, Split, Subotica, and Novi Sad; 320 dinars in Skoplje, and 210 dinars in
Bitolj.
Laundry soap (from 60 to 62 percent fatty acids) is 340 to 350 dinars in
Zagreb, Split, and Osijek; 450 to 600 in Rijeka, 280 in Subotica, and 325 to 400
in Belgrade, Skoplje, and Nis The pric-s of enamelware are not uniform because
of the lack of interest or satisfactory marketing in Mostar, Bitolj, and Maribor,
where a 3-liter enamel pot is being sold for 340 to 360 dinars, while a shortage
of this item makes the price 445 dinars in Rijeka, 500 in Sarajevo, and over
1,000 in Banjaluka. Instead of the commercial network moving goods from areas
of little demand to areas of greater demand as soon as possible, they permit
unreasonably low prices on the one hand, and at the same time increase prices in
other cities,
These are not the only examples of unwarranted variations in the prices of
industrial goods. If the price offices had stronger connections with the com-
mercial enterprises, such price variations would not result> Price offices are
responsible if the commercial network is slow or fails to act on the Information
Service Reports.
PRICES VARY FOR FARM TOOLS, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS -- Zagreb, Vjesnik, 2 Apr 51
A significant variation exists in the prices of agricultural tools and con-
struction materials in different cities. Price levels in some towns do not
reflect the true condition of the market, and are not in proper ratio to the
general levees of prices of these articles in Yugoslavia.
Recently axes were 270 dinars in Belgrade, 300 to 450 in Zagreb, 380 in
Rijeka, 600 in Titograd, and 675 in Osijek. Hoes were 265 dinars in Zagreb,
290 in Ljubljana, 380 in Rijeka, and 200 in Kragujevac. Scythes were 350
dinars in Osijek, 250 in Rijeka, 400 in Subotica, and 154 in Bitolj. Sickles
were 140 dinars in Zagreb and Osijek, 200 in Rijeka, and 50 to 55 in Novi Sad
and Belgrade.
Pine boards (30 percent panel pine and 70 percent grade B) were 9,000
dinars in Zagreb, 10,000 in Belgrade, 7,000 in Split, 1`2,000 in Osijek300 , 13,0000s
in Banjaluka, and 6,500 in Sarajevo. Nails (6 centimeters long)
in Belgrade, Split, and Osijek, and 400 dinars in Nis and Banjaluka.
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to VIDEMtA
The market is well supplied with bluestone, but there is a significant dif-
ference in its price. Bluestone is selling in Banjaluka at 70 dinars, 150 in
Osijek and Rijeka, and 100 in Zagreb, Maribor, and Novi Sad. Since a sufficient
quantity of axle grease is for sale, prices are approximately uniform for this
item 50 dinars in Belgrade and Sarajev); 70 in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Osijek; and
80 in Bitolj.
Commercial enterprises and price offices should follow more closely the
development of prices and market opportunities only but
in Yugoslavia generally, to achieve a proper slavia as soon as possible,
LOWER PRICES ON BETTER SUPPLIED MARKETS IN BELGRADE -- Belgrade, Politika,
n abundanc- of produce has been available in Belgrade
k
a
Within the past wee
d uniform, not Prices
stil
l
es are
e bi
plied At present they are
su
tt
p
g
a
p
er
ar
whi
those markets
on
lower
siderably
e
lowest at the Kaleniceva market, where potatoes
at selling giatd6ohtos70adinars
per kilogram, beans at 80, greens
nd live poultry at 150 to 200. Prices
200
ry
a
t
ato toes --
are higher at the Bajlonova market, where po
1. cheese 280,
from 100 to 130, ,
l
es
gram, beans from 70 to 90, greens 10, app
dressed poultry from 250 to 280, and live poultry from^200nttoa220. Priceess are
kilogram.
dinars, cream 600, and live poultry 250 dinars a
identical in these markets. For example,
The prices Pnr some times are
oil 500, butter 800, goat cheese 400, milk 50,
lard is 500 dinars per kilogram,
and yellow turnips
dinars each
1
4
,
5
to
smoked meat from 480 to 500, eggs from 1
120 dinars per kilogram,
modity on sale yesterday in the stores of com-
f
com
Spinach was the chie
o? Prices varied.
mercial enterprises, state farms, and cooperatives-
thee"Slavi.ja"
"Pancevacki Rit" Farm is sC1 -t5 o .-?------ __ __ -
Commercial Enterprise at 12, and the "Smederevka" Enterprise at 15. Private
producers are selling spinach at 15 to 20 dinars. Spinach is abundant in all
marketc and can he obtained without waiting in line.
al Slaughterhouse brought a small quantity of meat
i
i
c
p
On 27 March the Mun
to the ,Bajlonova market. This meat was sold out quickly. A long line was
waiting in front of the market, where pork was selling at 180 dinars per kilo-
gram.
A long line forms early in the morning in front of the Municipal Dairy
store in the Kaleniceva and Zeleni Venac markets, and milk is quickly sold out
at 40 dinars a liter. The demand for milk is very great. It milk supplies
increase, they will have a consiu.-ble influence on decreasing the price of
milk sold by private producers-
Prices in state farm store 0gc1 nare ars aforlbacon, 200 ddinars per kilogrrlm for
inars for cracklings,
lard, 3500 for pork sausage, 3 3
and 100 dinars for chitterlings.
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