Tag: Pineapple

November 18, 2010 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Isle seed crop value jumps 26 percent

Last year marked a sixth consecutive year of dramatic growth for Hawaii seed crop producers, according to a recent government estimate, though the industry dominated by seed corn may be nearing maturity.

The Hawaii office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the value of the local seed crop industry rose 26 percent to $223 million in 2009 from $177 million the year before.

The gain further ingrains seeds as Hawaii’s largest crop by value, a spot seeds have held since pineapple was dethroned in 2006, though other crops contribute more to the local food supply and commercial sales.

Industry observers expect the strong pace of expansion, which began five years ago after hovering around $50 million for several years before that, will begin to cool as the industry matures.

Last season’s big jump reflected expansion of operations by some producers after large land acquisitions in recent years that allowed the companies to build up research and farming, according to Fred Perlak, president of the industry’s trade group, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association.

“I think what you’re seeing here is the maturing of the acquisitions in the last two or three years,” said Perlak, who is also vice president of research and business operations for Monsanto in Hawaii.

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November 1, 2010 General Ag News and Notes, Maui Gold Pineapple Post a Comment

MAUI LAND & PINEAPPLE CO INC – 10-Q – 20101102 – FORM

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Overview of the Company

MAUI LAND &amp Pineapple Company, Inc. is a Hawaii corporation and the successor to a business organized in 1909. We are a landholding company. Our principal subsidiary is Kapalua Land Company, Ltd., the operator and developer of Kapalua Resort, a master-planned community in West Maui. Our reportable operating segments are Resort and Community Development. In December 2009, all of our Agriculture segment operations were ceased and the segment is reported as discontinued operations.

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October 28, 2010 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Fun, fright to be had on Maui during Halloween

A CELEBRATION OF PINE AND PUMPKINES IN LAHAINA

Lahaina Gateway is presenting its “Pineapples and Pumpkins,” a celebration of Halloween, Haliimaile Pineapple Co. and more on Saturday. Free pineapple samples, demos, recipes, treats and store sales will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with entertainment provided by Chapman Stick musician Michael Kollwitz from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then, stores and restaurants will participate in keiki trick-or-treating from 4 to 7 p.m., with a keiki costume contest at 5:30 p.m. that will award best pineapple theme, best pumpkin theme, most frightening, most original and best Halloween baby costume. Trick-or-treating is for ages 12 and younger. For details, call 661-3311

Fun, fright to be had on Maui during Halloween – Mauinews.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Visitor’s Information – The Maui News

October 14, 2010 Ag Tourism, General Ag News and Notes, Maui Gold Pineapple 1 Comment

A One of a Kind Experience: The Grown on Maui Bus Tour

This tour will start at the University of Hawaii Maui Campus Culinary Academy for a “Behind the Scenes Tour” of the State of the Art facility and continental breakfast of locally sourced products. Once you’ve satisfied your appetite the tour will continue to the Hali’imaile Pineapple Company, where the staff shares a brief history of growing pineapple on Maui and how their farming operations has evolved today. See how pineapple is grown and learn the interesting facts about choosing the sweetest pineapple in the supermarket.

Then it’s off to lunch at the O’o farm, where a plethora of different crops are grown. Providing a unique culinary experience of using the freshest farm ingredients, prepared in creative ways that bring forth all the delicious flavors nature has to offer. After lunch, it’s on to Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, where the tour starts on a sweet note of creamy Lavender Chocolate Gelato. Take the first and only Lavender walking tour and discover the “Language of Flowers”. Buy a Lavender Scone for the road and find out why these scones are so famous!

Tour Highlights

* Breakfast and Behind the Scenes tour of University of Hawaii Maui campus.
* Pineapple tour and tasting at Hali’imaile Pineapple Tours
* Gourmet Lunch and Tour at O’o Organic Farm
* Ali’I Kula Lavender Walking Tour and Dessert

**Advanced Reservations are required! Call 808-891-4604. Click here for more information.

A One of a Kind Experience: The Grown on Maui Bus Tour « AKL Maui

October 10, 2010 General Ag News and Notes, Recipe Post a Comment

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN SANDWICH

Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich, this irresistible sandwich is quick and simple to prepare. The sandwich is made of boiled chicken pieces mixed with yummy mayonnaise sauce served on a bed of fresh salad greens with pineapple pieces placed between fresh bread rolls or croissants.

Before we know about the Sandwich, let’s know why this sandwich is so close to the Hawaiians. It’s because when you think of pineapples which is one of the main ingredients in this sandwich, you immediately remember of Hawaii. Pineapples and Hawaii has a close association that most people assume that the plant is native to the islands.  In fact, pineapples originated in South America and probably did not reach Hawaii until early in the 19th century; the first record of their existence there is dated January 21, 1813.  Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, a Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha of Hawaii, brought the famous fruits back with him to Hawaii, after Spanish and European voyagers had introduced the pineapple to much of the world.

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October 1, 2010 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

AR-Cal inks Maui Gold deal

by Tim Linden

AR-Cal Distributing in Arvin, CA, has taken over as the exclusive North American sales agent for the Maui Gold pineapple, which is now being grown and packed by the Haliimaile Pineapple Co. Ltd. in Halliimaile, HI.

AR-Cal is the marketing and distribution arm of Trino Packing & Cold Storage Inc., which is also headquartered in Arvin and owned by longtime produce industry veteran John Trino.

Mr. Trino said that he has long had an affinity for Hawaii and became well acquainted with the Maui Gold pineapple when it was being marketed by the Maui Land & Pineapple Co.

That company, which owns and operates resort properties and golf courses in addition to its agricultural division, has had well-publicized financial issues during the past couple of years.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. has sold off several golf courses and also sold the rights to the “Maui Gold” brand name.

Mr. Trino said that backers of the new pineapple company have pumped a good deal of money into the operation over the past year and have secured significant land for production.

Since Jan. 1, Haliimaile has been shoring up the sales of pineapples in Hawaii and has been mostly using Calavo for its mainland sales. Mr. Trino has been consulting for the firm on an informal basis since 2009 while it was under development, and recently agreed to the exclusive marketing agreement.

“I am basically going to be acting as a broker and a sales agent,” he said. “Haliimaile will do billing and invoicing.”

Mr. Trino said that the key to successful sales of the Maui Gold pineapple on the mainland is to limit supplies to the extent that there is demand.

“I told them to build up their sales in Hawaii and to grow slowly in North America,” Mr. Trino said. “You cannot flood the market. No longer will there be consignment sales. Everything will be an f.o.b. sale.”

AR-Cal’s agreement was slated to begin officially Oct. 1, but on Sept. 29, when Mr. Trino spoke with The Produce News, he said, “We have cans on the water and are taking orders.”

He said that the f.o.b. price Long Beach, CA, or Seattle, which are the two ports to which the product is being shipped and unloaded via ocean freighter, was $11.50 on that day.

“There has been about a five- or six-week gap in supplies, which has made for a good transition,” he added.

Although the Maui Gold has typically enjoyed better sales on the West Coast because of its proximity to Hawaii, Mr. Trino said that the company is selling nationwide and will air freight to the East Coast when appropriate.

But he added that Mexican pineapples are typically $2-$4 cheaper and enjoy a freight rate advantage to the East Coast, so the demand is limited.

“But it is the best-tasting pineapple there is,” he stated.

Handling sales of the product for AR-Cal is Harold Stein, another longtime produce sales veteran.

The Produce News AR-Cal inks Maui Gold deal

September 30, 2010 General Ag News and Notes, Maui Gold Pineapple Post a Comment

Ar-Cal becomes mainland marketer of Maui Gold pineapples

Ar-Cal Distributing has taken over the mainland marketing of Hawaii-grown Maui Gold pineapples.

Ar-Cal, a division of Arvin, Calif.-based Trino Packing and Cold Storage, inked a deal with HaliiMaile, Hawaii-based HaliiMaile Pineapple Co. Ltd. to be the North American sales agent for Maui Golds, which HaliiMaile has exclusive rights to, said John Trino, Ar-Cal’s president.

Santa Paula, Calif.-based Calavo Growers Inc. had been the mainland marketer for Maui Golds when the variety was owned by Makawao, Hawaii-based Maui Land & Pineapple Inc.

HaliiMaile, which became the exclusive marketer of Maui Golds effective Jan. 1, has cut production of Maui Golds from 3,000 to 4,000 acres to 650 acres, Trino said.

Rudy Balala, HaliiMaile’s vice president, said the company is focusing its marketing efforts on the mainland on high-end customers. He said the company can’t compete with pineapples from other countries on price.

“We know we have a superior product,” he said. “Our fruit tastes really good, and we’ve heard a lot of positive comments about it on the mainland.”

HaliiMaile expects to ship about 3,000 to 4,000 cases a week to the mainland U.S., Balala said.

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September 26, 2010 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Hawaii’s farm future: Fertile fields?

Introduction

In 2008, a report from the University of Hawaii-Manoa and the state Department of Agriculture estimated that between 85 percent and 90 percent of the state’s food was imported every year and concluded that there wasn’t much anyone could do to change the situation.

” … Even though Hawaii can conceivably grow anything that we consume, the quest to achieve 100% food self-sufficiency is impractical, unattainable and perhaps impossible, as it imposes too high a cost for society,” the researchers said.

Hawaii’s relatively small farms could never match the output or efficiency of the vast mechanized farms on the mainland, the report said. Island products would always be more expensive to grow and buy.

Still, the report was more a call to arms than a dark prophecy.

Pointing out that Hawaii’s geographic isolation left its food supply vulnerable to disruptions caused by forces and events beyond control, such as fuel costs, shipping strikes and farm production fluctuations, the report said it was of vital importance that the state not overlook the value of a small but thriving home-grown market.

A healthy agricultural base not only serves as a buffer against outside forces, it provides residents with fresher, tastier, healthier food and could put millions of dollars back into the island economy, the report said.

“I think we are at the crossroads,” says Dr. Matthew Loke, administrator of the state’s Agricultural Development Division and a co-author of the 2008 report with Dr. PingSun Leung of UH-Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. “Whether we can seize those opportunities or not, that’s our challenge.”

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