Category: Banana

June 10, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Papaya, Vegtables Post a Comment

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *June 10, 2007*

current_hi-061007.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Weather Review

Weather conditions had a variable effect on agriculture during the week ending Sunday, June 10. High pressure to the north and low pressure to the south resulted in a week of light to moderate trade winds with mostly light, passing showers. Most of the shower activity was limited to the northern islands during the first half of the week and shifted to the southern half of the State during the weekend. These passing showers occurred in windward areas and the higher elevations with some lighter amounts being blown over to the leeward side of the islands. Conditions were particularly dry on the Big Island where temperatures reached new daily highs on Monday and Wednesday. The Mayor of the County of Hawaii declared a State of Emergency on June 5 due to the continuing dry weather. A voluntary 10-percent reduction in water usage was in effect for the districts of North and South Kohala, Hamakua, and Ka`u. A mandatory 25-percent reduction in water usage was in effect for the following specific areas of the Big Island: Waimea Town to Kawaihae, Upper Pa`auilo, and Ahualoa. In addition, the State Department of Agriculture continued to place users of the Honokaa-Paauilo irrigation system under a mandatory 30-percent water conservation notice due to damage sustained from the October 15, 2006 earthquake. Users of the Waimea irrigation system were asked to voluntarily cutback irrigation water usage by 10 percent. Overall, recent weather conditions have had a variable effect on agriculture. Non-irrigated crops, those dependent on natural rainfall, were in fair to poor condition. Crops located in windward areas were faring better than those in the drier leeward areas of the island. Irrigated crops were in fair to good condition. Abundant sunshine and adequate irrigation was ensuring normal growth. Spraying for insects and disease continued on a regular schedule.

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Orchards in eastern sections of the island of Hawaii were in fair to good condition. Mostly sunny days facilitate field operations, but soil moisture was declining. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidences remain isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas remained in fair condition. Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to affect fields. Leeward and central Oahu fields made good progress, but were also slowed by light Banana Bunchy Top virus damage. Irrigation remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the dry days.

Papaya

Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture decreased and additional rain is needed to raise soil moisture to more satisfactory levels. Mostly sunny days dominated the week, but some light showers were beneficial. Fruit development and ripening were good on Oahu. However, mealy bugs and ring spot virus in some fields kept production lower than anticipated. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain the insect population was stepped up to contain the increased infestation.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

The crop in the Big Island?s Waimea area was in generally good condition. Light insect damage on outer leaves was noticed. Irrigation ensured normal crop progress. The Volcano crop was experiencing slow progress due to dry conditions. Maui?s crop continued to make good progress. Warm temperatures stressed some lower elevation fields, but generally those fields were in good condition. Insect pressure and damage was light, but elevated in some fields. Head size was large. On Oahu, insect infestation was at light levels and mostly under control. New plants were in good condition.

Sweet Corn

Young planting in eastern sections of Hawaii County made slow progress. Newly seeded beds have gaps in the rows due to seedlings dying for lack of moisture. Light showers during the week provided some relief. Beneficial weather conditions allowed the plants to make good progress in central Oahu fields. Windward fields made good progress during the week and are expected to be harvested at moderate to heavy levels.

Cucumbers

Pickings from most Oahu fields were at moderate to heavy levels and anticipated to continue increasing as plants were in active harvest. Melon fly infestation and light pickle worm damage has affected crop yields in some areas during the week. Irrigation levels remained heavy as the dry weather continued in most crop growing areas.

Dry Onions

Maui?s crop benefited from the dry weather and regular irrigation. Growth and development was good in most fields, although the warm temperatures have started to detrimentally affect some fields by slowing growth. Quality of harvested bulbs has reportedly been very good.

June 3, 2007 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *June 3, 2007*

current_hi-060407.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana

Orchards in eastern sections of Hawaii County were in fair to good condition. Very dry conditions reduced soil moisture in most orchards. Field activities such as spraying, leaf trimming and harvesting were active during the week. Fields in windward Oahu were in fair condition as Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to affect fields. Leeward and central Oahu fields made good progress, but were slowed by light Banana Bunchy Top damage. Irrigation levels remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the dry days. Fruit development continued to make good progress with the longer sunny days and warmer temperatures. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition. Moderate to heavy irrigation was necessary for normal crop development.

Papaya

Big Island orchards in the lower Puna area were in fair condition. Very light passing showers provided some moisture, but more showers are needed. Newly planted and young orchards made slow progress due to the hot and dry conditions. Harvesting was at moderate levels. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were good, however, mealy bugs and ring spot virus in some fields kept production lower than anticipated. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress. Spraying to contain insect populations was on a regular schedule.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

Hot and dry conditions in the Waimea area of the Big Island required heavy irrigation for normal crop progress. Insect and disease losses were light. Head quality was generally good. The crop was in generally good condition. Maui?s crop continued to make good progress with the warming conditions. Insect pressure for most areas increased, but producers were able to keep damage to a minimum. Crop development was optimal and overall quality was good. Average head size has increased thereby contributing to higher yields. Producers were monitoring their fields closely and maintaining a timely spraying program to keep the insect pressure under control. On Oahu, insect infestations were at light levels and mostly under control. New plantings were in good condition.

Sweet Corn

On Oahu, beneficial weather conditions allowed the plants to make good progress with good market supplies from central fields. Windward fields made good progress during the week and are expected to harvest at moderate levels. Plantings in windward areas of Hawaii County were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was decreasing and may soon affect crop progress. New plantings have increased.

Dry Onions

The dry onion Maui?s crop benefited from the past couple of weeks of warm growing conditions. Crop development has been very good. Overall average bulb size continued to increase and quality was good. Packing out of the Maui crop was expected to continue although there may be a slight temporary slow down. Overall, the Maui onion crop was in good condition. Miscellaneous

Ginger Root

The crop in east Hawaii Count was in fair to good condition. Prolonged dry conditions have slowed crop progress.

Coffee

Orchards on Kauai made fair progress during the week with most of the plants receiving limited irrigation as reservoir levels continued to decrease. Rainfall during the week was too sparse to provide any relief for soil moisture.

May 29, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *May 27, 2007*

current_hi-052907.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Orchards in eastern sections of the island of Hawaii were in fair to good condition. Mostly dry conditions slowed crop progress as soil moisture was slowly depleted. Spraying was required to minimize Black Leaf Streak damage. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward locations were in fair condition maintaining light to moderate harvesting as the Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to keep production down. Leeward and central fields continued to make good progress, but were also slowed by light Banana Bunchy Top virus damage. Irrigation levels remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the dry days. Fruit development and ripening continued to make good progress with the sunny days and warmer temperatures.

Papaya
On the Big Island, depleting soil moisture and sunny days kept orchards in fair condition. Crop progress of younger orchards was slowed by the hot and dry conditions. Spraying was active for insect, disease, and weed control. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect populations continued on a regular schedule and kept infestations manageable.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good condition. Harvesting of medium size heads was in progress. New plantings made good progress with heavy irrigation. Insect and disease damage was generally light. Weeds were a problem in isolated fields. Maui?s crop continued to progress well despite the warming growing conditions. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair to good condition. Insect pressure increased in growing areas and affected lower elevation fields more than the higher elevation fields. Increased irrigation was necessary to minimize stress and allow for continued steady growth. Insect damage was under control in most fields. Planting and harvesting activity was uninterrupted. On Oahu, mealy bugs, Ring Spot virus, and wild pigs were reportedly keeping production lower than anticipated.

Dry Onions
Maui?s crop was in good condition. Weather conditions have been beneficial for the dry onion crop. Growth and development has been good. Average yields have improved mainly due to decreased losses to field defects and increased average bulb size. Active planting and harvesting is expected to continue at a steady rate.

Miscellaneous

Coffee
In the Kona Districts of the Big Island, coffee orchards had berries n the green stage of development. Coffee orchards on Kauai made fair progress with some fields not receiving irrigation due to low reservoir levels. Light passing showers at week?s end provided little or no relief for the parched fields.

May 23, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Crop Weather

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *May 21, 2007*

current_hi052207.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Banana orchards in windward sections of Hawaii Island continued to make good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Sunny and warm conditions benefited fruit and orchard growth. Disease incidences have remained stable. Banana Bunchy Top incidences remain isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu were in fair condition with light to moderate harvesting as Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to keep production down. Leeward and central Oahu fields continued to make fair to good progress and were also slowed by Banana Bunchy Top damage. Irrigation levels remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the relatively dry weather. Fruit development and ripening continued to make good progress with the sunny days and warmer temperatures. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition.

Papaya
Orchards in the lower Puna area of the Big Island were in good to fair condition. Light showers helped to provide some soil moisture. However, more showers are needed. In the lower Kapoho area, large orchards had trees that were too tall for commercial harvest. Recently planted orchards made slower progress due to the dry conditions. Spraying for weed and disease control was on-going. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect populations continued on a regular schedule and was keeping infestations manageable.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good to fair condition. Medium-sized heads were harvested. Hot and dry conditions required heavy irrigation. Insect and disease damage was generally light. The Maui head cabbage crop continued to make steady progress. Warmer growing conditions have increased crop growth and development, but it has also encouraged increased insect pressure in the major growing areas. Borders of fields were drying out and insects and wildlife were feeding on irrigated fields. So far, losses have been kept to a minimum, but it may become increasingly more difficult to control with the warmer months approaching. Overall, Maui?s head cabbage crop was in fair condition. On Oahu, new plants were in good condition. Insect infestations were at light levels and mostly under control.

Sweet Corn
The Big Island?s young crop made steady progress. Sunny days and adequate soil moisture benefited crop growth. On Oahu, beneficial weather conditions allowed plants to make good progress and boost market supplies from central Oahu fields. Windward fields made good progress during the week and are expected to continue with moderate harvesting.

Dry Onions
Maui?s dry onion crop continued to benefit from the current weather conditions. The long days and warm temperatures encouraged good growth and development especially for maturing fields. Yields were good and are expected to be steady for several weeks. The lack of rainfall has reduced the occurrence of quality defects in the field. Developing fields were showing good steady progress. Overall, the dry onion crop was in fair to good condition.

Miscellaneous

Ginger Root
Plantings in the eastern sections of the island of Hawaii made steady progress. Sunny and warm days benefited crop growth. Light showers provided just enough moisture to sustain growth.

May 15, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *May 13, 2007*

current_hi-0515a07.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Big Island orchards in eastern sections were in generally good condition. Sunny days and adequate soil moisture benefited fruit and orchard development. Younger stalks made good progress. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas were in fair condition as Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to keep production down. Leeward and central Oahu fields continued to make fair to good progress also hindered by Banana Bunchy Top virus damage. Irrigation levels remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the windy and dry weather. Fruit development and ripening continued to make good progress with the sunny days and warmer temperatures. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition.

Papaya
Favorable weather conditions are beneficial for orchard progress in the lower Puna area of the Big Island. Orchards in the Kapoho and Pohoiki area were in generally good condition. Spraying was ongoing for weed and disease control. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect populations continued on a regular schedule.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop made good progress with heavy irrigation. Insect and disease damage was generally light due to timely spraying. The crop was in generally good condition.

Head Cabbage
On the island of Hawaii, fields in Waimea were in good to fair condition. The quality of the harvested heads was fair due to weeds and warmer temperatures. Insect and disease damage was generally light. New plantings made good progress with heavy irrigation. On Maui, the head cabbage crop continued to show good growth and development during the week. Warm growing conditions in the Upcountry area allowed for the average head size to increase and development within the fields to be more uniform. However, the warm weather was also conducive for increasing insect populations. Increased irrigation was necessary for most fields, especially in the lower elevation areas. The clear weather has allowed for normal field activities to occur. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair to good condition. Central area fields on Oahu were in mostly good condition. Insect infestation was at light levels and mostly under control.

Sweet Corn
Adequate soil moisture and sunny days favored growth in east Hawaii fields. Overall crop conditions ranged from fair to good. Beneficial weather conditions allowed plants to make good progress in central Oahu fields. Ear worm infestation was light and under control. Windward fields made good progress during the week. Semi-head (Manoa) Lettuce Planting and harvesting remained steady on Oahu. Light to moderate insect infestation and damage to plants continued to lower yields. Spraying to control insects was active.

Dry Onions
Maui?s crop continued to show good growth and development during the week. Fields, at the various stages of development, benefited from this weeks? weather. Newly transplanted fields may have been stressed due the warm sunny days. Maturing fields showed good growth over the passed couple of weeks. Good yields are expected mainly due to increased bulb size and decreased occurrence quality defects. Overall, Maui?s dry onion crop was in good condition.

Miscellaneous

Ginger Root
Crop progress is good on the Big Island. Adequate soil moisture and sunny days benefited young ginger growth in East Hawaii fields.

May 7, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *May 6, 2007*

current_hi-051507.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Growing conditions are near ideal for orchards in the eastside of Hawaii Island. Light winds, sunny days, and adequate soil moisture provided good conditions for orchard progress. Spraying needed to be increased as higher disease incidences were observed. New plantings in the Pepeekeo area made steady growth. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu were in fair condition with light to moderate harvesting as the Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to hamper production. Leeward and central Oahu fields made fair to good progress. Irrigation remained at moderate to heavy levels during the week due to the windy and dry weather conditions. Fruit development and ripening continued to improve with the sunny days and warmer temperatures. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition.

Papaya
Good soil moisture and sunny days helped boost orchard progress in the lower Puna area. Orchards in the Kapoho, Opihikao, and Pohoiki showed good flower and fruit set. Mature orchards have full fruit columns with medium-sized fruits. Orchards in the Kalapana area were in fair condition. Spraying was required to minimize disease damage. Orchards on Kauai made fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect populations continued on a regular schedule.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
Plantings in the Waimea area of the Big Island made rapid progress. Weeds were a problem is some fields. Disease incidence was noticed on the wrapper leaves. Insect damage was light. Heavy irrigation was required as conditions have been mostly sunny and dry. New plantings made steady progress.

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in good to fair condition. Insect and disease damage was generally light. Harvest of good quality, medium-size heads was in progress. New plantings made good progress with heavy irrigation. Maui?s head cabbage crop continued to make fair to good progress. Warm growing conditions required close monitoring of the fields for timely spraying due to increased insect pressure. Warmer temperatures also required increased irrigation for most fields, especially those in the lower elevation areas. Crop quality was good, and damage from insects continued to be low. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in mostly fair condition with some fields in good condition. On Oahu, insect infestations were at light levels. New plantings were in good condition.

Sweet Corn
Newly-planted fields in windward areas of the Island of Hawaii made good progress. Soil moisture was adequate, and crop was in fair to good condition. Weather conditions allowed central Oahu fields to make good progress. Light worm infestations were mostly under control. Windward fields made good progress during the week. Semi-head (Manoa) Lettuce Planting and harvesting on Oahu remained steady. Light to moderate insect infestation and damage to plants continued to slow crop progress and lower yields. Spraying to control insects was active. Most plantings on Kauai made good progress with the sunny and dry weather conditions.

Dry Onions
Weather conditions benefited Maui?s crop. Warm temperatures were good for the growth and development of the crop in all stages. Conditions have not been too hot, and the periodic brisk winds were good for air circulation within the fields. Insect pressure was low. Developing fields were in good condition. Bulbs were showing good size. Young fields were also developing well and showing vigorous growth. Overall, the dry onion crop was in good condition.

Miscellaneous

Ginger Root
On the Big Island, newly planted seeds were sprouting. Adequate soil moisture and sunny periods aided crop progress. Late planting continued in isolated areas. ?

May 2, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Papaya, Vegtables

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending April 29, 2007

current_hi-050107.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Banana
Soil moisture in windward areas of the Big Island was high and the crop was in generally good condition. Mostly sunny days, following wet weather early in the week, were beneficial for fruit development and orchard condition.

Banana
Bunchy Top virus incidences remain isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu banana orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas were in fair condition. Banana Bunchy Top virus continued to adversely affect production. Leeward and central Oahu fields made fair to good progress. Rouging and spraying for insect infestation was stepped up and has helped slow Banana Bunchy Top infections in the area. Irrigation levels were at moderate to heavy levels due to the windy and dry weather. Fruit development and ripening continued to improve due to mostly sunny skies and the longer daylight hours.

Papaya
Orchards on Hawaii Island were in fair to good condition. Showers increased soil moisture to satisfactory levels in most orchards. Active flowering occurred in most fields. Orchards on Kauai made fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insects was on a regular schedule.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop continued to make steady progress. Planting was very active in selected fields. Irrigation was necessary due to dry and windy conditions. Excessive weeds were noticed in many fields. Quality of harvested heads was fair to good.

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good condition. Light insect damage was noticed on outer leaves. Irrigation kept crop progress normal. Crop progress in the Volcano area was slow due to wet conditions. On Oahu, increasing diamond back moth infestation was stemmed with increasing control measures. New plantings were in good to fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Planting and field prep were ongoing in the windward side of the Big Island. Frequent showers and warm temperatures boosted growth. Overall, the crop was making good progress with younger plantings making steady progress. Central Oahu fields made good progress having benefited from sunny skies, dry conditions, and warmer temperatures during the week. Light worm infestation was mostly under control. Windward area fields also made good progress.

Cucumbers
Harvesting is expected to pickup on Oahu fields as new plantings come into active harvest. Wind damage and scarring of fruits were light in exposed areas. Irrigation levels were heavy due to the dry weather.

Dry Onions
On Maui, growth and development of plantings have been very good. Fields, at all stages of development, were in good condition. Maturing fields are expected to have good yields and quality. Average bulb size is also anticipated to increase. Younger, newly-planted, fields also faired well during the week.

April 1, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Vegtables

HAWAII CROP WEATHER

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *April 1, 2007*

current_hi040107.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits
Banana
Orchards in eastern sections of Hawaii Island had adequate moisture. Spraying was required to minimize disease damage. Banana Bunchy Top virus damage was still localized in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in good to fair condition. Fields in windward Oahu made fair progress with light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central Oahu fields remained in fair to good condition. Irrigation was at moderate to heavy levels. Fruit development and ripening continued to improve during the week with the favorable weather conditions. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition.
Papaya
Papaya orchards in the lower Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Spraying for disease and weed control was active during the week. Young papaya fields in the lower Kapoho area made steady progress. Fruit quality and yields were improving. Orchards on Kauai made fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect infestation and disease infestation remained slow in rainy areas.
Vegetables
Chinese Cabbage
The Big Island?s crop was making good progress with heavy irrigation. Light disease incidence was noticed on the wrapper leaves. Head quality and yields were generally good. New plantings made good growth.
Head Cabbage
On Hawaii Island, the Waimea crop made good progress with irrigation. Selective spraying was minimizing insect and disease damage. New plantings increased in the Lalamilo area and were making good progress. Maui?s crop was reported to be showing steady increased growth due to the warming conditions and longer day length. Rainfall received a couple of week ago increased the overall ground moisture and some producers may reduce irrigation for the week. Some areas reported that the increase moisture has increased incidences of rot. While there has been some loss due to the rot, overall production is not expected to be significantly affected. Overall the crop was in generally fair condition. On Oahu, new plants were in good condition. Insect infestation remained light to moderate.
Sweet Corn
Sunny, dry, and warm weather allowed plants to make good progress in central Oahu fields. Windward fields made fair to good progress, slightly slowed with the overcast skies and intermittent rains. Big Island plantings had adequate oil moisture and the crop was making steady progress. Overall, the crop condition was in fair condition.
Cucumbers
New plantings on Oahu made good progress during the week as the warmer and sunnier weather conditions were favorable for most fields located in the central part of the island. Flower and fruit set was good during the week.
Semi-head (Manoa) Lettuce
The dry weather and higher temperatures have caused an increase in insect infestation and light damage to Oahu?s Manoa lettuce crop. Spraying to control insects was active.
Dry Onions
The crop on Maui benefited from this week?s sunny weather and in generally fair condition. Average bulb size was larger, although there were some losses due to quality defects in development as a result of cooler conditions during the previous months. Overall, producers are expecting increased improvement in the condition of the dry onion crop. Yields are expected to increase and losses from defects are expected to decrease as growing conditions continue to improve.
Miscellaneous
Ginger Root
Most growers have finished harvest for the season. Planting and field preparation for next season?s crop was active in east Hawaii sections.

March 26, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Vegtables

HAWAII CROP WEATHER

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *March 25, 2007*

current_hi032607.pdf

Please visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ for more information.
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Agricultural Highlights

Banana
Orchards in eastern sections of Hawaii Island were in good to fair condition. Young plants were making good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Regular spraying was minimizing disease and insect damage. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu made fair to good progress with light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central Oahu fields remained in fair to good condition. Irrigation levels were at moderate levels during the week. Fruit development and ripening continued to improve during the week with the favorable weather conditions. On Kauai, orchards were in fair to good condition. Harvesting was expected to continue light to moderate for on island market.
Papaya
Light showers and sunny days benefited orchard growth in the lower Puna areas of the Big Island. Routine spraying has minimized disease damage. Field activities such as weeding, leaf trimming, fertilizing, and harvesting were active. Fruit quality and yields were fair. Young plantings made steady progress. Orchards on Kauai made fair to good progress during the week. Pickings remained at light to very light levels from many older fields. Spraying to contain insects and diseases were slowed in areas where the winds were too blustery.
Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in good to fair condition. Weeds were a problem in isolated Puukapu and Lalamilo fields. Head quality was generally good. New plantings made steady progress. Maui?s head cabbage crop made good progress. Weather conditions enabled continued growth and uniform development. Insect pressure was present, but has been generally kept under control. Damage has been minimal for most fields. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair condition. New fields on Oahu were in good condition with fields in active harvest. Insect infestation remained under control and head quality was good.
Dry Onions
On Maui, some maturing fields were producing larger bulbs compared to previous harvests. Young fields have benefited from the increasing day length and are expected to do well with the changing weather conditions. Overall, the dry onion crop was generally in fair condition.
Sweet Corn
The Big Island crop was in good to fair condition. Soil moisture was adequate and sunny periods benefited crop growth. Harvesting was active. On Oahu, harvesting was active with the continued sunny, dry, and warmer weather allowing the plants to make good progress in central Oahu fields. Windward fields made fair to good progress. The drier weather also allowed more active field preparation and planting to occur.
Cucumbers
New plantings on Oahu made good to fair progress during the week as the winds slowed crop progress and caused some damage to fruits in exposed fields. Flower and fruit set was fair during the week.
Coffee
Light coffee flowering was observed in the Holualoa district of the Big Island. Coffee fields on Kauai continued to make good progress with good flowering from the last rains.
Ginger Root
Field preparation and planting continue to take place in eastern areas of Hawaii Island. Conditions were good for planting activities. Harvesting was light.