Hawaii’s agricultural record dims
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
FALLS in sugar and pineapple pro duction over the last two years have taken the shine off Hawaii’s agricultural performance. But the overall picture was improved by the emergence of coffee as the state’s fastest growing export crop and with another record production year in macadamia nuts. Guava also reached a new high.
A new report from the Bank of Hawaii said the state’s two leading crops showed flat to negative production and sales in 1989, with indications that 1990 sugar production could be up about two per cent following the 17 per cent decline in total processed tonnage of the past three years. The bank is expecting total 1990 sugar income to reach SUS 349 million.
But it predicts that total processed pineapple revenues appear likely to drop for the third successive year to less than SUSIB6 million, with industry indicators suggesting further declines ahead.
While harvested coffee area increased by only 100 acres to a total of 2400 acres in the 1990-91 year, the total area under plantations rose a massive 77 per cent to
5300 acres, the largest expansion on record. This reflects the conversion of former sugar growing areas on the island of Kauai, and the company involved hopes to eventually have 5000 acres under coffee.
Last season, for the first time in 100 years, coffee was harvested on Kauai and the report from the Bank of Hawaii said that the state’s production will rise sharply in coming years as the trees mature. The 1989-90 Hawaiian crop was up 60 per cent to 1.45 million kilograms, although it is expected to fall back to 1.22 million kilograms in the current season due to poor weather affecting the Big (Hawaii) Island Kona crop. It is the fastest growing of Hawaii’s export crops, and in 1989-90 total state revenue from it rose by 89 per cent to SUSI2.S million.
Macadamia production in 1989-90 reached 24.5 million kilograms, up more than 10 per cent. Guava production now stands at 9.4 million kilograms primarily as a result of 48 per cent more bearing acreage on Hawaii Island.
Banana output was down by six per cent to 3.4 million kilograms. □