Another big hit to our Big Island economy!

[Menehune]

quote:

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Originally posted by james weatherford

Better check your facts. This is very doubtful:
"island of Hawaii where macadamia yields are the highest in the world."

Australia has put a lot of pressure on Hawaii producers because of Australia's higher productivity.

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The "facts" are quotes or complete articles Googled and thus subject to the authors intigrity and the time the article was written.

The following url is an old yield article: http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/d...damia.html

Another article:
"Hawaii is the largest producer in the world of macadamia nuts. The second largest producer is Australia with about 7,000 acres. However, every year about 1,000 more acres are being planted in Australia. Although demand exceeds supply, small quantities of Australian macadamia nuts are exported to Japan, England, and various European countries.
The Republic of South Africa follows with an estimated 6,000 acres; Kenya has about 4,000 acres; Guatemala has 2,000 acres; and Brazil round outs with about 1,800 acres. Other countries which have made experimental planting of macadamia include: New Zealand, Venezuela, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Peru, Indonesia, Tahiti, New Caledonia, EL Salvador, Jamaica, Paraguay, Columbia, Western Samoa, Thailand, Taiwan, Fiji, Israel, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
In the continental United States, California is the only state that has been successful in growing macadamia on a scale approaching commercial. Gradual progress in macadamia development has been made in cooperation with the efforts of the California Macadamia Society which now has some 475 members worldwide, and about 325 members in state. To date however, there are no large scale, commercial macadamia orchards in California."
The complete article can be found:http://www.nutsonline.com/nuts/macadamianuts/

A macadamia company touts:
"Introduced to Hawaii in 1882, the macadamia became a major agricultural enterprise in the mid-20th century after years of research and improvement by the University of Hawaii. Now a premium product — world leader for quality — the macadamia is grown on the island of Hawaii by more than 600 individual farmers. ML Macadamia Orchards, LP is the largest grower in the world of macadamia nuts. Today, Hawaii produces about one-quarter of the world’s supply, but Hawaiian macadamia nuts rate tops for premium quality."
The companies website: http://www.mlmacadamia.com/

History of macadamia nuts - they originated in Australia:
http://sres-associated.anu.edu.au/fpt/nw...html#intro

The healthy facts of macadamia nuts:http://macadamias.org/index.php?p=7

Joey

[gtill]

If it can be done with soy,why couldn't a vegeburger be made out of Mac Nut? Might be a niche product for a small grower!

[james weatherford]

'Joey' said,
[/quote]
The "facts" are quotes or complete articles Googled and thus subject to the authors intigrity and the time the article was written.
The following url is an old yield article: http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/d...damia.html
Another article..."
[/quote]

None of these articles provide information to supporty that Hawaii has the "highest yields" as 'Joey' previously posted. Some do indicate that at some time in history Hawaii had the most land area in mac nuts and the most total production, but not the highest yield.

"Yield" is amount of harvested crop per land area -- not total production.

Hawaii does NOT have the highest yields, as "Joey" previously posted.

James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Greg]

Quote:

"Growing crops in hawaii, although it looks so easy, there are so many problems with bugs, rot flooding etc, and with the restrictions on spraying and other necessary controls on growing, food cropping is nearly impossible(or it would be common)!"
_____________________________________________________________________

Nearly impossible?

I've never had a problem growing here. It has a lot to do with the right crop in the right location. Where do you think hundreds of thousands of Hawaiians got their food before Young Brothers started delivering?

Pests, poisons, rot and other agricultural problems can be easily overcome by practicing time honored permiculture techniques (Again, as practiced by ancient cultures).

As far as what killed the sugar industry; It was the simple fact that growing cane became more profitable elsewhere. After their rape and pillage of the Island's environment, they deserted the people that labored for them. Now their land lies fallow or developed specifically for profit.

This is the "Agricultural Island", after all. It's just that most of the agriculture now is exported, and is ornamental rather than edible.

As fuel prices rise, I see the export market diminishing, home grown food increasing in value, and hopefully a return to the sustainable methods of farming practiced successfully for centuries.

[loffelkopffl]

the demise of these industries(dairy,chicken,macnut) is simply because of money

[mgeary]

Pretty much every industry, demise or no, is simply because of money.

P.S. That's cynical and sarcastic, so I've got two strikes against me today. Sorry.[8D]

Aloha! ;-)

[oink]

I found it strange, when I was at the Mauna Loa gift shop at the factory, that much if not most of their product on sale there, had been shipped to the mainland (for processing) and back, only to be sold at the Hilo factory??? At the time I could buy the same item cheaper at WallyWorld in Hilo than at the factory gift shop?? I would think that if they could skip the mainland trip and packaging routine and cut out some of the middlemen, they could sell to the locals at more reasonable prices that would in turn encourage local consumption.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Aaron S]

quote:

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Originally posted by oink

I found it strange, when I was at the Mauna Loa gift shop at the factory, that much if not most of their product on sale there, had been shipped to the mainland (for processing) and back, only to be sold at the Hilo factory???

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I think a lot of the reason for that was the fact Hershey owned Mauna Loa for the last couple years. Hopefully with the new local ownership,
that outsourcing will stop.

[gtill]

Lack of money! Sure anyone can grow a little, but when it comes to busting your but for a few bucks, better to go to college!

Plus much of the hardest work in the "days"was by slave labor (kauha). And starvation because of drought was for real!

And yes, you need to make good money if you're going to farm, or it's not worth it! The same holds true for recycling, if I'm going to unload someone elses rubbish, they're going to pay for the service! Plumbers are the leaders in renumeration for nasty work! All Deserve it, including farmers!

[olin137]

On the Macademia prices, it might be that the growers have a fixed contract for the product and the main handling/packaging is done
on the mainland - ? One of the first times I was in Hawaii, I bought a pineapple in a grocery store. I was surprised it didn't taste any better than the ones you get in California. When I later asked a worker in the store, they said the pineapples in the store are from contract sales. They all get shipped to the mainland, then distributed to all the companies stores from a central facility. Of course, those stores in Hawaii got shipped also from the central facility even though the pineapples originated in Hawaii in the first place - ! Since then I only buy at farmer's markets/roadside stands.