SOURCE: Eric Weinert, New Food Magazine President of the Hawaiian Papaya Industry Association Eric Weinert explains why the sector has recovered significantly in 2023. This year is shaping up to be a huge boon for Hawaii papaya growers as demand for the only American-grown papaya is increasing among mainland tropicalContinue Reading
SOURCE: Ryan Finnerty, Hawaii Public Radio With hotels, restaurants, and farmers largely shuttered, demand for fresh, local produce has plummeted. The loss of revenue puts future harvests at risk. Local farmers are experiencing a cash crunch, according to Brian Miyamoto, director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau. He says a wideContinue Reading
Source: Big Island Now Hawai‘i International Tropical Fruit Conference will celebrate its 30th year this fall. The conference is scheduled for Sept. 25 to 27 at the Maui Economic Opportunity building in Wailuku and continues with five gatherings on the neighbor islands. Dates run consecutively Sept. 28 to Oct. 3Continue Reading
In the Hawaiian town of Hana on the island of Maui, bread grows on trees, in a manner of speaking. This is what’s known as breadfruit. Typically green and scaly on the outside, white and smooth like squash on the inside, it’s a starchy member of the fig family that’sContinue Reading
A Hawaii family has won a place with the Guinness World Records for the world’s heaviest avocado. The Pokini family from the island of Maui received the Guinness certificate this week for the avocado weighing 5.6 pounds (2.54 kilograms), The Maui News reported Thursday. The average avocado weighsContinue Reading
The Leilani Estates eruption is also affecting farmers in lower Puna. The Hawaii Farm Bureau’s latest estimate is that nearly 80 percent of all papaya grown in the state comes from the Kapoho area. Now much of it is gone. Hundreds of farming jobs could be in jeopardyContinue Reading
A week ago chef Eric Leterc at The Pacific Club in Honolulu put up a sign apologizing to customers. Due to volcanic activity on the Big Island, the club’s kitchen was experiencing a shortage of papaya. “We are uncertain at this time when stock will be replenished as Madame PeleContinue Reading
Farms in Hawaii could become “zero waste” if a state-funded demonstration project proves viable. The state’s Agribusiness Development Corp. is proposing to build a $1.5 million facility at the Shipman Business Park that would grow algae from leftover produce, in particular, papaya. The algae could then be usedContinue Reading