Tag Archive for ‘Papayas’

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Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on September 24, 2007 in Banana, Ginger Root, Papaya, Persimmon and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *September 23, 2007*.

current_hi092307.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in eastern sections of the Big Island were in generally good condition. Favorable showers provided good moisture. Spraying and leaf trimming helped to minimize Black Leaf Streak disease incidences. Bunchy Top incidences remained localized in the Puna and Kona districts. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Leeward and central Oahu fields were in good condition with heavy to moderate supplies for the market. Heavy irrigation continued as the fields remained dry. Windward fields were in fair to good condition with light to moderate supplies. Overall harvesting on Oahu was expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as the shorter day length and slightly cooler temperatures have slowed ripening. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the lower Puna area of Hawaii County were in good to fair condition. Ample soil moisture and sunny periods helped to boost flowering and fruit development. Field activities such as spraying for disease control and fertilizing were active. Young and new orchards made steady progress. On Oahu, some orchards were re-worked for future harvest after being damaged by a wildfire. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the high temperatures slowing crop progress. Ring spot virus and wild pig damage in some fields lowered yields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make good to fair progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest with some new fields in active harvest boosting available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop made good progress with heavy irrigation. Young plantings made steady growth. Light production was expected from Volcano fields. Supplies were mainly for the local markets. On Maui, insect pressure in most of the major growing areas has decreased and damage also declined. Weather conditions have cooled and producers noted that this was beneficial for the crop. Relief from the hot daytime temperatures and the cool evening temperatures allowed some improvement in the quality of the crop. Growth and development was steady, but may soon begin to show signs of slowing down as day length begins to shorten. Planting has been steady and production was expected to stay at current levels. The head cabbage crop was in fair to good condition.

Sweet corn
Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress with the sunny, dry weather and heavy irrigation. Areas affected by water use restrictions have cut back on planting activities and have experienced decreased yields. The Big Island?s young corn crop continued to make good progress. Harvesting was active and supplies were for local sales.

Other Crops

Coffee
On Kauai, orchards were in good condition with active harvesting anticipated to continue. Sunny days and moderate trade winds kept fields in good condition for harvesting. Rainfall has been light and reservoir levels continued to decrease causing some concern.

Ginger root
The Big Island?s crop made good growth during the week. Very damp conditions, however, slowed fieldwork.

Persimmon
Maui?s persimmon crop was in good condition. There were some reports of deer entering the field, but so far damage has been minimal. Insect pressure has also been minimal. At the current rate of development, the crop is expected to reach maturity in October with harvesting to begin shortly there after.

Hawaii Papayas Report

Published on September 18, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.

papaya100107.pdf

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

————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-

“HAWAII PAPAYAS” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

AUGUST FRESH PAPAYA HIGHER

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.4 million pounds for August 2007, up 1 percent from July 2007 and 9 percent higher than August 2006. Year-to-date sales totaled 17.8 million pounds, 5 percent above the comparable period last year.

August weather was mainly sunny with occasional showers benefiting orchard growth and development. Irrigation was stepped up to replenish soil moisture levels. Spraying to control insects and diseases was ongoing. In preparation of Hurricane Flosse?s strong winds, growers trimmed leaves from mature trees to prevent uprooting. Fortunately, it was downgraded to a tropical storm and passed with no damage to orchards. Newly planted acreage made favorable progress. Maturing fields were in the flowering and fruiting stages.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 40.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in August, 15 percent (7.0 cents) less than July 2007 and 17 percent (8.1 cents) below August a year ago.

Papaya Acreage Survey 2007 Results

In August 2007, there were 125 farms reported on Hawaii County, unchanged from August 2006. The county still accounts for the majority of the State?s total papaya acreage and bearing acreage. Honolulu/Kauai/Maui County reported 53 growers compared to 45 growers a year ago.

Some growers commented on the challenges of growing papayas with continuous dry weather and the lack of natural rainfall, fire damage, and problems with insects, diseases, and wild pigs. Others had marketing and economic issues with low prices and the increasing cost of returns to maintain healthy papaya orchards. These concerns were influencing their decisions on whether to continue growing papayas. Some orchards reported doing well with no major incidences.

State 2007 Variety Summary

In August 2000, Rainbow and Kapoho ranked as the top two varieties Statewide with 42 and 37 percent, respectively. Over the years, a higher percentage of Rainbow has been planted. In August 2007, Rainbow and Kapoho accounted for 68 and 17 percent, respectively. Sunrise variety represented 8 percent of the acreage grown followed by ?Other? varieties making up 7 percent.

In August 2007, Rainbow represented 62 percent of the bearing acreage Statewide compared to 57 percent in August 2006. Kapoho comprised of 22 percent of the bearing acreage compared to 27 percent a year ago. Sunrise and ?Other? varieties contributed 8 percent each to the bearing acreage.

In August 2000, Hawaii County had 2,050 acres planted in papayas, Kapoho (49 percent), Rainbow (45 percent), and ?Other? varieties (6 percent). Annual survey indications show there has been a trend in growing more Rainbow. In August 2007, Rainbow acreage distribution accounted for 75 percent, Kapoho 19 percent, and ?Other? varieties 6 percent.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on September 9, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, Ginger Root, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending September 9, 2007.

current_hi090907.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards located in the windward areas of the Big Island were in generally good condition. Adequate soil moisture combined with sunny and warm days provided good conditions for orchard progress. Young plantings in the Pepeekeo and Keaau areas made good progress. Spraying was required to minimize Black Leaf Streak disease incidences. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Leeward and central Oahu fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Heavy irrigation continued as fields remained dry. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the lower Puna district of the Big Island made good progress during the week. Sunny days and adequate soil moisture were beneficial. Seedlings sprouted from newly planted fields in Pohoiki. Spraying for disease and weed control was on going. Overall harvesting on Oahu was reduced by fire damaged fields that were in active harvest. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good. High temperatures slowed crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while ring spot virus and wild pig damage continued to lower harvesting in some fields. Kauai?s orchards continued to make good to fair progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest. New fields entering active harvest provided a boost to available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good condition. Medium-sized heads were harvested. Heavy irrigation was maintaining normal crop progress. The Volcano crop was in fair condition as dry conditions and cooler temperatures slowed the progress of non-irrigated plantings. Volcano supplies were for the local markets. Maui?s crop continued to make relatively steady progress. Evening temperatures have been notably cooler in the Kula area. Insect pressure continued range from high to moderate, with most operations being able to manage insect damage. However, some operations have reported a high amount of losses due to insect damage over the past couple of weeks. Overall, the Maui head cabbage crop was in fair condition.

Dry Onion
On Maui, most fields have been planted for the fall harvest and are reportedly doing well. A few additional fields may be planted this month for the late fall/early winter harvest. Overall the dry onion crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress. Sunny and dry weather during the week proved improved growing and field conditions. Areas affected by water use restrictions have resulted in a cutback on planting activities and have experienced decreased yields. Big Island plantings made good progress due to adequate soil moisture and sunny weather. Harvest was active and crop quality was generally good.

Other Crops

Coffee
Coffee harvesting was in progress in the Kona districts of the Big Island. Orchards on Kauai were in good condition with increased harvesting forecast to continue this coming week as fruit ripening was steady. Sunny days and light to moderate winds have kept fields dry allowing for good harvesting. Rains at the upper elevations during the weekend boosted reservoir levels which allowed adequate irrigation for all trees.

Ginger root
The young ginger crop on the Big Island made favorable progress during the week. Sunny weather and adequate soil moisture benefited root development.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on September 2, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* September 2, 2007*.

current_hi090207.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Growth in young orchards got a boost from the warm, sunny weather and adequate soil moisture. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidences remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas remained in fair condition. Leeward and central fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Irrigation was heavy. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Mostly sunny skies with scattered showers helped young trees. Papaya Ringspot Virus still plagued many fields, but spray activities were active in other fields and appeared to keep aphid populations in check. Harvesting on Oahu was reduced by fire-damaged fields that were previously in active harvest. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the high temperatures slowing crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ringspot virus and wild pig damage lowered yields in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields with some new fields in active harvest boosting available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Light insect damage on outer leaves was noticed. Irrigation helped to keep crop progress normal, but warm conditions affected head quality. The crop in Volcano was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop continued to make steady progress. Hot growing conditions were proving to be challenging for the crop and producers who have been trying to minimize stress and damage by insects. Overall, insect pressure throughout the growing area continued to increase. However, insect damage varied by location. Most producers are expected to continue their steady plantings with some planning to increase plantings slightly to compensate for slower growth and lower yields in the months ahead.

Dry Onion
Maui?s crop continued to make slow progress. Weather conditions made it difficult for the crop to achieve high yields and good quality. Some operations maintained good yields and relatively good quality, but most fields experienced lower yields mainly due to reduced bulb size. There was a slight improvement in the overall condition of the dry onion crop during the past couple of weeks. Planting for the fall harvest was active.

Sweet Corn
Windward Oahu fields made good progress with the sunny and dry weather during the week. Harvesting was very active with increasing pickings. Restricted water use slowed plantings and production in fields dependent on reservoir sources for irrigation. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with light corn ear worm problems. Corn fields in the windward areas of the Big Island benefited from the recent mixture of rain and the warm sunny conditions. Adequate soil moisture facilitated higher germination rates and improved ear development. Planting and harvest were steady.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on August 26, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* August 26, 2007*.

current_hi082607.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island made good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Warm sunny conditions provided a boost to growth of both young and established mats. Fields in windward Oahu remained in fair condition maintaining light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central fields were in active harvest with heavy supplies. Irrigation was being maintained at a heavy rate. On Kauai, orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the lower areas of the Big Island?s Puna District experienced ideal conditions for crop progress. Light showers mixed with mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures boosted growth of young orchards and kept flowering steady in mature orchards. Overall fruit development was good. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the warm temperatures slowing crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage lowered harvesting in some fields. Last week?s wildfire on Oahu?s North Shore caused some orchards to burn as well as damaging some irrigation systems. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields with some new fields boosting available supplies. Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Waimea crop on the Big Island was in fair to good condition. Dry conditions in Lalamilo required heavy irrigation for normal crop progress. Disease and insect damage were generally light. Warm temperatures boosted weed populations in any fields.

Head Cabbage
Heavy irrigation was needed for Waimea farms on the Big Island. Spray schedules kept insect pressure down. Overall crop conditions were fair to good condition. The Volcano crop showed improvement due to added soil moisture and sunny skies.

Sweet Corn
Windward Oahu fields made good progress with the sunny and dry weather during the week. Harvesting was very active with increasing pickings. Restricted water use has slowed plantings and production in fields dependent on reservoirs. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with light corn ear worm problems. Showers in eastern sections of Hawaii Island kept soil moisture adequate and improved germination rates. Sunny skies helped boost plant growth and ear development.

Other Crops

Coffee
Big Island orchards in the Puna and Kona Districts generally received adequate rainfall for cherry development and flowering. Ka`u orchards were drier but made fair progress. Kauai orchards were in good condition with harvesting slated to begin this coming week. Sunny days and drying winds have increased irrigation needs. Water supplies were adequate for current irrigation needs. Of growing concern are decreasing reservoir levels while rainfall has been too light to sustain or raise the levels.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on August 20, 2007 in Banana, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* August 20, 2007*.

current_hi082007.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Soil moisture in windward orchards of the Big Island was good, and the crop was in generally good condition. Mostly sunny days and scattered showers during the week were beneficial for fruit development and orchard condition. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidences remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards remained in fair to good condition.

Papayas
Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture increased to more satisfactory levels in most orchards. Active flowering was occurring in most fields. Harvest and spray activities were active.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop continued to make steady progress. Planting was heavy in selected fields, and irrigation was necessary due to windy conditions. Excessive weeds in some fields were noticed. Quality of harvested heads was fair to good.

Head Cabbage
The crop in the Waimea area of the Big Island was in generally good condition. Light insect damage was noticed on outer leaves. Irrigation and light showers aided normal crop progress. The crop in Volcano made good progress. Maui?s head cabbage crop continued to make steady progress. Insect pressure ranged from low to moderate with minimal damage in most fields. Steady planting and harvesting occurred during the week. Overall quality of the crop was good.

Sweet Corn
Plantings in windward areas of the Big Island made good progress. Planting and field preparations were aided by good weather conditions. Passing showers and warm temperatures helped boost growth in windward fields. Young plantings made steady progress.

Dry Onions
On Maui, planting was active as farmers prepared for the fall crop. Maintenance on young fields continued through the hot growing conditions. Older fields were being encouraged to develop larger bulb sizes. Overall average yields were lower than a year ago. The dry onion crop was in fair condition.

Tomatoes
Production from hydroponic greenhouses in the County of Hawaii was steady. Vines were in generally good condition. Fruit quality and yields were good. Puna greenhouse vines also made steady progress due to warmer temperatures and generally drier conditions.

Hawaii Papayas

Published on August 16, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.

papaya091307.pdf

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

————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-

“HAWAII PAPAYAS” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

JULY FRESH PAPAYA HIGHER

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.4 million pounds for July 2007, up 16 percent from last month and 40 percent higher than the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales for the first seven months of 2007 posted 15.4 million pounds, 5 percent above the comparable period in 2006.

Warm summer weather continued in July, encouraging flowering and fruit set. Tropical Depression Cosme and a weak shear line brought welcomed showers to the State. Normal farming activities were underway. Harvesting was steady. Growers were preparing fallowed fields for new plantings. Wild pig damage and Papaya Ringspot Virus were still affecting some orchards.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 47.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in July, 10 percent (5.0 cents) lower than June, but unchanged from a year ago.

2006 Papaya Output Down

In 2006, papaya output totaled 28.7 million pounds, down 13 percent from 2005 and falling for the fifth consecutive year. Weather for 2006 had a mixture of wet and dry conditions. Continuous rain fell during mid-February until early April causing soil erosion, flooding, disease outbreaks, and fruit and tree losses in orchards across the State. It also delayed normal field routines including planting schedules.

The biotechnology variety Rainbow made up 58 percent of total acres in 2006, up 9 percent from 2005. Rainbow is resistant to Papaya Ringspot Virus (PRV), a virus that devastated the Hawaii papaya industry from 1993 to 1999. The Kapoho variety was the standard for the papaya industry for many years; however, Kapoho is susceptible to PRV. Yields of Rainbow are higher during the first year of harvest compared to the Kapoho variety. In the second year of harvest, yields for Rainbow are comparable to the Kapoho variety. Routine field inspections and rogueing of infected trees kept losses to PRV light. The Kapoho variety comprised 25 percent of total acreage compared to 30 percent the previous year. Annual August surveys since year 2000 show Rainbow and Kapoho have been the major two varieties.

The State’s in crop papaya acreage totaled 2,095 down 13 percent from the previous year. Harvested acreage rose 3 percent from 2005 to 1,530 acres, up for the second year.

In 2006, the number of farms totaled 168, declining 19 percent from the 2005.

Hawaii County continues to lead with papaya production and accounting for the majority of the State’s total.

Value of utilization (fresh and processed) for 2006 was pegged at $11.0 million, 2 percent below 2005. Papaya price of 38.5 cents per pound increased 4.3 cents above last year average.

U.S. Papaya Imports Higher

Fresh papaya imports from foreign sources into the United States totaled 291.4 million pounds in 2006, up 14 percent from the previous year, according to the Department of Commerce. Mexico accounted for 201.0 million pounds or 69 percent of the total. Imports from Belize have steadily increased and contributed 26 percent of the total imports in 2006.

Total imports by type for 2006 increased 14 percent from 2005 to 308.6 million pounds due to more fresh papayas. Fresh imports continued to account for the majority or 94 percent of total imports.

World Papaya Production Up 2 Percent

World papaya production totaled 14.9 billion pounds in 2006, up 2 percent from a year ago, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Brazil remained the top producer of papayas growing 3.5 billion pounds. Rounding out the top five producers world wide are Nigeria with 1.8 billion pounds, Mexico with 1.8 billion pounds, India with 1.7 billion pounds, and Indonesia with 1.4 billion pounds.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on August 12, 2007 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* August 12, 2007*.

current_hi081207.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas

Soil moisture in eastern areas of the Big Island was adequate but starting to decrease with the low rainfall. Warmer temperatures boosted growth and the crop was in fair to good condition. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidence remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu remained in fair condition. Leeward and central fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Heavy irrigation, sunny days, and warm temperatures aided growth. Fields dependent on reservoir water have cut back on irrigation due to water restrictions and conservation efforts. On Kauai, orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule. Controlling the wild pig population, and damage to the crop, was a continuing challenge.

Papayas

Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture improved slightly due to windward showers. Spray activity was steady in most orchards for insect and weed control. Young orchards were progressing well. Fruit development and ripening were fair to good on Oahu. High temperatures slowed crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage kept harvesting lower in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest with some new fields in active harvest.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

On the Big Island, irrigation ensured steady crop progress. The quality of harvested heads was fair to good. Overall, the crop was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop has been able to tolerate the hot growing conditions relatively well. Increased irrigation and periodic afternoon cloudiness has helped the crop to maintain steady progress and good quality heads. Planting continued to be steady. Insect pressure was present, but for most fields damage has been kept to a minimum with timely spraying. Overall, the crop was in fair to good condition.

Sweet Corn

Island wide moderate to heavy supplies were forecast to be available for the market place. On Oahu, isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems and lowerthan- expected yields. Restricted water use slowed plantings in fields dependent on reservoir sources for irrigation. Other fields with bird and wild pig damage also suffered lowerthan- normal yields. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with some corn ear worm pressure. Plantings in the windward area of the Big Island made good progress. Light showers kept soil moisture adequate, and the crop was in fair to good condition. Young plantings made steady progress.

Cucumbers

Overall pickings from Oahu were expected to increase to heavy levels as new fields come into active harvest. Pressure from insect infestation was at moderate levels.

Dry Onions

The crop on Maui continued to make slow but steady progress. Insect pressure remained relatively low and growers were been able control the effect of the feeding by insects in the field. Most fields have been affected by the hot temperatures, and this seems to limit bulb size. Some recently harvested fields had aboveaverage yields mainly due to larger bulb size. Overall, the crop was in fair condition.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on August 5, 2007 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *August 5, 2007*

current_hi080507.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Operations remained normal, and harvesting was active. Soil moisture was raised to beneficial levels. The Banana Bunchy Top virus remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Windward fields remained in fair condition maintaining light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central Oahu fields were in active harvest with heavy supplies due to the seasonal trend. Irrigation remained at heavy levels during the week because of the dry weather. Fields dependent on reservoir water for irrigation have cutback because of water restrictions and conservation efforts. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Overcast conditions with sunny periods were helping to establish young trees. Young orchards in the lower Puna area made good progress. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were fair to good. Crop progress was slowed by high temperatures. Mealy bugs were mostly under control. The Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage kept harvesting lower levels in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
Hawaii County?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Light insect damage on outer leaves was noticed. Irrigation helped to keep crop progress about normal, but warm conditions have slowed the crop a little. The crop in Volcano was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop continued to make steady progress. Insect pressure in general was low to moderate and producers have continued to minimize damage. Wildlife feeding, mainly by birds, was still being noted along the edges of fields. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Fields on the Big Island benefited from recent trade wind weather. Moderate rainfall improved soil moisture and benefited ear development. Planting and harvest activities were steady. Harvesting was active on Oahu. Isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems and lower than expected yields. Central Oahu crops were in good condition.

Cucumbers
Overall harvesting from most Oahu fields is expected to increase to heavy levels as new fields enter production. Pressure from insect infestation was at moderate levels.

Dry Onions
The crop on Maui continued to struggle through the hot growing conditions. Smaller average bulb size has affected the overall yield, although some fields have produced fairly good size bulbs. Overall, the dry onion crop was progressing as expected for this time of the year. The dry onion crop was currently in marginally fair to fair condition.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on July 22, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *July 22, 2007*

current_hi072207.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas

Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island made good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Sunny, warm days aided orchard progress. Disease incidences were minimized by routine spraying. Bunchy Top disease incidences remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Growers were replanting in the Keaau area. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas remained in fair condition. A seasonal upswing kept leeward and central Oahu fields in active harvest with heavy supplies. Irrigation remained at heavy levels during the week because of dry conditions. Kauai?s orchards were in good condition. The slightly cooler weather and rains provided good soil moisture which benefited most orchards.

Papayas

Orchards in the lower Puna areas of the Big Island made good progress. Mostly sunny and dry weather during the work week reduced soil moisture levels. Increased moisture from the passing storm system helped boost soil moisture. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were aided by increased day length and mostly sunny conditions. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus lowered harvesting in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at light to moderate levels from several small fields. Spraying to contain the insect population was slowed as the winds and rains picked up.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Heavy irrigation was required for normal crop progress. Routine spraying minimized insect and disease incidences. New plantings made steady progress. The Volcano crop made slower progress. Maui?s crop continued to show fair and steady progress. Increased irrigation was essential for steady growth and development as well as maintaining quality heads. Farmers were minimizing losses from damage by insects by maintaining a steady and effective spraying program. Insect pressure was a concern, but it has been kept under control. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair to good condition. On Oahu, some fields were abandoned to control the increasing pressure from a Diamondback moth infestation.

Dry Onions

Maui?s dry onion crop remained in fair condition. The prolonged hot and dry growing conditions have made it very challenging growers to maintain steady growth and development. Increased irrigation has helped some fields, but older fields have already achieved their potential yield. Most of these mature fields will have a greater percentage of medium bulbs. Overall, the dry onion crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn

On Oahu, harvesting was expected to be active with heavy supplies reaching the market. Some reports of light worm damage remained during the week. Isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems and lower than expected yields. Sweet corn plantings in windward areas of the Big Island were in generally good to fair condition. Weather conditions were favorable for crop development. Other Crops

Ginger Root

The Big Island crop made good progress during the week. Soil moisture was adequate and replenished over the weekend by Cosme?s rain. Sunny and warm weather throughout most of the week benefited root development.

Hawaii Papayas Report

Published on July 20, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.

papaya072307.pdf

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

————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-
“HAWAII PAPAYAS” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

JUNE FRESH PAPAYA OUTPUT LOWER

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.1 million pounds for June 2007, 2 percent lower than May 2007 and June 2006. Output for the first half of the year totaled 13.0 million pounds, slightly higher than the same period last year.

Total in crop for June is estimated at 1,735, down 10 percent from March 2007 and 1 percent less than June 2006. Bearing acreage totaled 800 acres, 8 percent below March of this year and declining 47 percent from June of last year. Bearing acreage should increase as new acreage comes into production late summer or early fall.

June weather conditions continued warm and sunny with occasional showers. More rain would be beneficial towards growth and fruit development. Clear weather assisted in field operations and usual orchard maintenance.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 52.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in June, 6 percent (3.0 cents) higher than May and 10 percent (4.9 cents) more than last June.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on July 16, 2007 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *July 15, 2007*

current_hi071607.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas

Orchards in eastern sections of the Big Island were in generally good condition. Warm days and adequate soil moisture benefited crop and fruit development. Field activities such as spraying, removal of leaves and lateral suckers were active. Black Leaf Streak disease incidences were observed in some fields. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Windward fields remained in fair condition. A seasonal upswing kept leeward and central fields in active harvest. Irrigation levels were heavy. Orchards on Kauai were in good to fair condition. The dry weather and controlled irrigation benefited most orchards.

Papayas

On the Big Island, light showers, warm temperatures, and sunny periods benefited fruit development. Younger fields made good growth in the Kapoho area. Fallowed fields in the Opihikao area were being prepared for new plantings. Field operations such as spraying for weeds and disease control, leaf trimming, harvesting were active during the week. Flowering and fruit set were generally good. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were good due to increased day length and sunny conditions. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus lowered production in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress. Spraying to contain insect populations was stepped up during calm weather to contain the increased infestations.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

In the Big Island?s Lalamilo area, warm temperatures were not favorable for good head development. Warm days combined with irrigation contributed to an increase in disease incidence. New plantings made steady progress with heavy irrigation. Maui?s crop made steady progress despite the hot growing conditions. Increased irrigation was necessary and so far producers have made efficient use of water. Some fields were showing signs of increased stress especially those in the lower elevation areas. Insect pressure has increased slightly, but so far damage has continued to be minimal due to close monitoring and timely spraying by farmers. There have been reports of some losses due to wildlife feeding. Some fields on Oahu were abandoned to control the increasing pressure from the Diamondback moth infestation.

Dry Onions

Maui?s onion crop continued to make fair progress. Warm growing conditions were taking a toll on the crop. Older fields were struggling to develop good bulb size. In some fields, the heat stress has caused the plant to stop growing. Increased irrigation was helpful for some younger fields, but older fields have many factors to consider.

Sweet Corn

Weather conditions in windward sections of the Big Island were generally good for crop progress. On Oahu, harvesting was light after the holiday in July. However, supplies were heavy and new fields coming into production were making good progress. Light worm damage occurred during the week. Isolated fields in windward areas experienced growing problems and lower yields are anticipated from those fields.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Published on July 8, 2007 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *July 8, 2007*

current_hi070807.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of Hawaii island were in fair to good condition. Warm temperatures and good soil moisture were ideal for growth. Field activities remained normal. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidences remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu remained in fair condition. Leeward and central area fields were experiencing a seasonal upswing. Irrigation levels were at heavy levels during the week because of the dry weather. Kauai?s orchards were in good to fair condition.

Papayas
Orchards in the Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Warm, humid conditions with abundant sun boost growth in most orchards. Soil moisture was adequate, and field activities continued on a normal schedule. New plantings made good progress. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were good with the increased day length and sunny and dry weather conditions. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus kept lowered production in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain the insect population was stepped up during periods of calm weather to contain an increase in infestation.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop continued to make steady progress. Irrigation was regular and heavy to maintain crop progress in the Puukapu and Lalamilo farm lots. Conditions in the Volcano area were ideal for crop development.

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good condition. Heavy irrigation was required to keep crop progress normal. The Volcano crop improved as soil moisture was adequate and days were sunny. On Oahu, some fields were abandoned to control the increasing pressure from the diamondback moth infestation.

Semi-head (Manoa) Lettuce
On Oahu, planting remained steady, however, crop progress was slowed by the high temperatures and drying winds. Moderate to heavy insect infestation and some disease damage continued to lower yields. Spraying to control insects remained active. Planting on Kauai remained light but steady with fair plant progress.

Dry Onions
Maui?s crop was being challenged by continuous dry and warm conditions. The lack of rainfall has eliminated the threat of rot, but the overall dry conditions were detrimental for crop progress. Bulb size has decreased. The overall crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Fields in the windward areas of the Big Island benefited from passing showers and sunny conditions. Seedling growth was steady and rapid. Planting and harvesting were steady. On Oahu, favorable weather conditions allowed the plants to make good progress with heavy supplies available from central Oahu fields. There were some reports of light worm damage during the week. Isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems which were expected to slow harvesting.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on July 3, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Papaya, Sugar Cane, Vegtables and Watermelon.

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

current_hi070107.pdf

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

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

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Big Island orchards made generally good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Sunny and warm periods benefited fruit development. Young and newly planted orchards in Pepeekeo made steady progress. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas remained in fair condition. Leeward and central Oahu fields made good progress. Irrigation levels were at heavy levels during the week due to a lack of rain and gusty winds. Kauai?s orchards were in good to fair condition.

Papayas
Conditions in the lower Puna area of the Big Island were ideal for orchard progress. Daily showers provided sufficient soil moisture. Sunny and warm periods provided a boost to flowering and fruit set. Field activities such as spraying for disease and weed control were active. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were good with the increased day length and dry weather conditions. Mealy bugs and Ring Spot virus lowered production in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Spraying to contain insect populations was stepped up to contain an increase in infestation.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Heavy irrigation was required especially in the Lalamilo area. Routine spraying was controlling insect and disease losses. New plantings made good progress. The Volcano crop was in fair condition. Plantings have increased, but made slower progress due to the dry conditions. New plants were in good condition on Oahu. Insect infestation was at light to moderate levels. Maui?s crop remained in fair to good condition. Insect pressure was higher in the major growing areas, but farmers were closely monitoring conditions to ensure timely spraying.

Dry Onions
Most fields on Maui were developing at a slower rate due to hot and dry conditions. Average bulb size has decreased. Overall, Maui?s crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
On Oahu, favorable weather conditions allowed the plants to make good progress. Some reports of light worm damage were reported during the week. Isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems. Big Island fields were in fair condition. Soil moisture was adequate and resulted in improved growth.

Other Crops

Coffee
The Big Island?s Kona coffee orchards made good progress due to adequate soil moisture levels. Coffee cherries were in the green stage of development. On Kauai, Isolated rains during the week benefited some fields. Showers at the upper elevations kept reservoir levels stable which allowed for good irrigation of all fields. Gusty trade winds were unfavorable for most fields and offset some of the benefits of irrigation.

Ginger Root
Plantings in the windward areas of Hawaii Island made good progress as daily showers raised low soil moisture levels. Sunny periods also helped to boost crop growth.

Sugarcane
Harvesting, planting, and milling activities were active on Kauai during the week. The summer showers which are typically at the upper elevations kept reservoir levels steady and allowed irrigation levels to keep up with the plant?s needs. Some insect infestation was reported with increased vigilance for control.

Watermelons
Harvesting on Oahu was active and supplies for the Fourth of July holiday are anticipated to be heavy.

Hawaii Papayas Report

Published on June 20, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.
papaya062007.pdf

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

————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-

“HAWAII PAPAYAS” reports are available on our website http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

MAY FRESH PAPAYA UP FROM LAST YEAR

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.1 million pounds for May 2007, down 6 percent from April 2007, but up 18 percent from May 2006. Year-to-date utilization at 11.0 million pounds was 1 percent above the same period last year.

Sunny and dry conditions prevailed in May. Orchards benefited from warm temperatures and longer day lengths. Irrigation was stepped up to replenish low soil moisture levels. Orchards with irrigation made good progress. Fields depending upon natural rainfall, especially plantings grown in porous rocky conditions, experienced slower growth and fruit development. Fungus outbreaks were limited with drier weather. Insects, papaya ringspot virus, and wild pig damage remained concerns for some growers.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 49.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in May, 2 percent (1.0 cent) higher than April, but 16 percent lower than (9.0 cents) May a year ago.

Hawaii Papayas Report

Published on May 16, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.
papaya51707.pdf
Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512

Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-

“HAWAII PAPAYAS” reports are available on our website http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/ and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others.

APRIL FRESH SALES HIGHER

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.2 million pounds for April 2007, up 3 percent from March 2007 and 29 percent more than April 2006.

Favorable weather conditions continued for papayas in April, encouraging flowering and fruit development. Young orchards made good progress with some acreage coming into production soon. Fruit columns are full with few gaps. Production from other fields has been declining, abandoned, or neglected. Warm weather has spurred weed growth but controlled under current spraying programs.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 48.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in April, up 2 percent (1.0 cent) from last month, but 2 percent down (1.0 cent) from a year ago.

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