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September 9, 2007 Ginger Root, 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 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.

September 2, 2007 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

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.

August 27, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Labor Post a Comment

Hawaii Agricultural Labor Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Agricultural Labor* Report.

aglabor082707.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

Hawaii Agricultural Labor

In Cooperation with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Number of hired workers down 10 percent

Hawaii?s agricultural hired work force totaled 6,300 during the July 8-14, 2007 survey week, down 10 percent from a year ago. Diversified agricultural workers accounted for 81 percent of all farm labor and at 5,100 workers, it was down 5 percent from July 2006. Pineapple and sugarcane workers were combined to avoid disclosure of individual operations and totaled 1,200 workers (does not include mill or cannery workers) during the July 8-14, 2007 survey week, down 27 percent from July 2006.

Average wage rate up 7 percent

The average wage paid to all hired workers during the July survey period was a record-high $12.87 per hour, 56 cents higher than July 2006. The combined average wage for field and livestock workers also reached a new record high at $10.89 per hour, up 51 cents from July 2006. Hawaii farms employing from 1 to 9 workers paid an average of $10.90 per hour for all hired workers, while the combined average wage for field and livestock workers was $10.28 an hour.

U.S. hired workers up 1 percent from a year ago

There were 1,205,000 hired workers on the Nation?s farms and ranches during the week of July 8-14, 2007, up 1 percent from a year ago. Of these hired workers, 847,000 workers were hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up the remaining 358,000 workers.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $10.04 per hour during the July 2007 reference week, up 32 cents from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $9.31 per hour, up 38 cents from last July, while livestock workers earned $9.80 per hour compared with $9.49 a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $9.44 per hour, was up 37 cents from last year.

The number of hours worked averaged 41.6 hours for hired workers during the survey week, up 1 percent from a year ago.

Source: Farm Labor, August 17, 2007, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

August 26, 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* 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.

August 22, 2007 General Ag News and Notes, Vegtables Post a Comment

The Monthly Hawaii Vegetable Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Monthly* *Hawaii Vegetable* Report.

monveg082207.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

Drought-like Conditions Along Leeward Sectors

The month of July continued to experience very warm, sunny conditions. Trade winds persisted mostly at moderate levels during the month. The passing of a weak shear line between July 14 and 16 only intensified these trades. The trade winds were momentarily interrupted with the passing of Tropical Depression Cosme on July 20 and 21. These trade winds provided near to above normal rainfall totals to many windward sectors of the State. Tropical Depression Cosme, on the other hand, provided increased precipitation to the east and southeastern sectors of the Big Island. In general, leeward sectors of all islands continued dry and under drought conditions. This ongoing dry spell along leeward areas has resulted in mandatory water restrictions for agricultural or residential areas of the Waimanalo area of Oahu, upcountry of Maui, and the Hamakua and South Kohala districts of the Big Island. Although some crops have benefited from the hot, dry weather during July, many other crops have suffered; as a result, crop condition was rated only fair.

The expected vegetable acreage for harvest in August when compared with acreage harvested in July was lower for 7 crops, higher for 2 crops, and unchanged for 2 crops. An increase in acreage for harvest is expected from snap beans (+10%) and sweet corn (+61%). A decrease in the acreage for harvest is expected for Chinese cabbage (-8%), head cabbage (-28%), mustard cabbage (-11%), cucumbers (-11%), dry onions (-42%), and romaine (-22%), while the expected acreage for harvest were unchanged for head lettuce, semi-head lettuce.

July Review

Tomato Production Below Year Ago

Chinese cabbage production total 514,000 pounds during July 2007. This was 12 percent below June 2007, but 28 percent above July 2006. The increase in production from a year ago resulted from an increase in yields and acreage for harvest. Crop conditions on the island of Hawaii were mixed as heavy irrigation was necessary to offset the windy, dry, and very warm conditions. Some farmers experienced heat rot losses.

Head cabbage producers produced an estimated 945,000 pounds in July. This was 11 percent and 1 percent below the previous month and a year ago, respectively. The decrease in production was the result of fewer acres available for harvest. Crop yield was below a month earlier, but better than the previous year. When possible, heavy irrigation was necessary to offset the very warm, dry conditions and to keep the crop in fair condition. Insect infestations were becoming a problem in some fields along with the production of smaller and lighter heads.

Cucumbers growers harvested an estimated 438,000 pounds in July. This was 14 percent and 20 percent below June 2007 and July 2006, respectively. The decline in production resulted from lower yields which was the result of the moderate winds and dry conditions.

Tomato growers produced an estimated 1.3 million pounds in July. This was 13 percent and 22 percent below June 2007 and July 2006, respectively. Although the very warm, dry conditions during July helped to maintain the tomato crop in fair to good condition, the decrease in production from the previous month can be attributed to lower yields.

August 20, 2007 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* 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.