Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1997 — Taro community talks about the price of poi and, ups and downs of the industry [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Taro community talks about the price of poi and, ups and downs of the industry

by Barbra An Pleadwell iflK "" -mm. . • ,J

High poi prices in 1996 were the result of dry weather on Hawai'i and Maui, heavy rains on Kaua'i, and an increase in destructive taro patch apph snails statewide. These problems plagued many wetland taro farmers across the state, according to a report by the Hawai'i Department of Agriculture (HDA). 1 Poi prices have gone up 10 to 15 cents a pound across the board, according to information collected by the University of Hawai'i Pacific Business Center Program. A pound of poi in 1996 cost between $3 and $4 last year.

Gilbert Chang, owner of the 50-year-old Puuio Poi Factory, Ltd. in Hilo, says retailers sold his poi for between $3.49 and $3.89. Chang sold his poi wholesale for $2.50 a pound. "When you have so mueh of a state product coming from one plaee, one valley really, it really determines a lot," says Charlie Reppun, a wetland taro farmer in Waiāhole Valley on O'ahu. "What happens in Kaua'i makes a big difference in what happens for the rest of the state." Sixty percent of Hawai'i's poi taro comes from Hanalei, Kaua'i. Stacy Sproat, manager of the Hawaiian Farmers of Hanalei, a for-profit corporation that leases land from Bishop Estate in Waipa, says the apple snail problem this past year increased labor for taro farmers by 50 percent. "We've done everything," Sproat says of the infestation of apple snails in Kaua'i loi, "The community's been in here hand picking, the Department of Agriculture was down here with eopper sulfate, and most recently we've tried ducks." Chris Kobayashi, a taro farmer in Waiole, Kaua'i, says that while she

didn't have a problem with apple snail infestation, the growth of her crops was stunted by rain, strong winds, and a laek of sunshine. Kobayashi also says she's had the worst leaf blight problem in years, and that new unidentified diseases have affected her crops. "When I was young the taro was really big," Kobayashi said, "They're getting smaller and smaller and loliloli." Lohloli refers to the texture of taro corms that don't have enough starch. Loliloli corms are not as solid as they should be for making poi. Another problem

Sproat cites on Kaua'i is premature rotting of the "mama taro." "We are not seeing the production yield of ten years, of even just five years ago," Sproat said. Reppun's taro harvest on O'ahu improved this past year. "Part of the reason our taro production has gone up is because of better water conditions," Reppun says. He believes the » cooler water in Waiāhol'e helps keeps his lo'i disease and pest free. Waiāhole stream flows have substantially increased since water that had been diverted for 80 years to Leeward and Central O'ahu was returned in 1994. Farmers on Kaua'i and elsewhere having problems that curtail taro

proauction Dy as muen as bU percent, say they'll continue to search for solutions. In addition to weather and pest problems, farmers speculate that soil depletion is also to blame for the decline in taro corm quahty. "I enjoy what I'm doing, so I'll take the risk for as long as I ean," says Kobayashi. Reppun adds that because taro takes so long to grow, it's difficult to learn about it. Wetland taro for poi generally takes between nine and 14 months to grow. Jim Hollyer, an agricultural eeonomist with the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai'i and collaborator on several taro pubhcations, says farmers need to fallow their fields (let them rest) and use the best huli (planting material) available. "Ancient Hawaiians were pretty disciplined about getting elean huli and planting areas," HoUyer says, "I agree it's mueh more difficult today. Before there were more people to help with taro farming, now that's not the case. "In many cases people don't fal-

low because of the cost of opening a new field and the labor, but that's nature's way of restoring the land." The statewide average farm price for taro in 1996 was 49 cents per pound, up two percent from 1995, according to the HDA. Taro production for 1996 was down 13 percent from 1995. The relatively small crop boosted farm prices per pound, but taro harvest fell 11 percent from $3.3 million in 1995 to $2.9 million in 1996.

Dryland Taro vs. Wetland Taro Farmers spared poor weather eonditions and pest problems were able to seU their harvests for top dollar. Hawai'i Taro Growers Hui, a eo-op of 57 farmers on Hawai'i raising dryland taro, sold its poi taro for 60 to 70 cents per pound last year. In previous years the Hui sold a pound of poi taro for 5 to 15 cents

less. "I'm a firm behevei in the future of dryland taro," says Vonn Logan, owner of Hilo's Pa'i'ai Poi Systems. He says this because dryland taro does not I require a water transfer system so not as mueh labor is ^ invnlved.

But dryland taro farming is not without problems. As one farmer ^ points out, there is a bieeer problem

with weeds when it comes to farming dryland taro. There is a different set of diseases that dryland taro is susceptible to as well. "Both planting styles are traditional," says HoUyer. "And one year one does really weU, or both ean do weU, or both ean do badly." "Historically, Hawaiians grew both, but given the ehoiee they grew wetland taro," Reppun says, "But if you grew up eating dryland taro, then maybe that's what you prefer. Both will eonhnue to expand." Mitsue Cook, director of TARO (Taro Action Resources Organization), agrees with Reppun, adding that eaeh style represents a distinct culture, but that "both wUl eonhnue because they are both part of Hawai'i's culture." Farmers agree that the type of taro they grow depends on the land that's available. Farmers also agree that descriptions of the difference in the taste of

the two types is very individual. Even texture and color depend more on harvesting conditions than on the type of taro. Processing taro "Taro is not coming to the mill," says Chang of Puuio Poi Factory. Five million pounds of taro were mUled for poi during 1996, according

to tne Hawai ī ^ Agricultural Statistics Service. This is down 14 percent from 1995. Chang says that in addition to "acts of God," there are other factors affecting poi prices such as the growing number of unlicensed people selling taro products. Hollyer says this is a

health and safety issue. "A phenomenal amount of money has been put into processors' facUities to make their products safe. When you have people making

kulolo m their homes and selling it out in the highway, there's a potential health risk and if s being ignored." An unlicensed mill fueled by taro from the Hawaiian Farmers of Hanalei was closed down in Decemberl996. Sproat says the group is putting together a feasibility study for a certified kitchen and poi mill. In the meantime, she says the farmers have no problem finding buyers for their taro. "They (farmers) sell the taro from the mama plants and we (manufacturers) get the babies. They keep the manufacturers in the dark," Chang says. Chang says some of the taro he imported from Maui this past year was "the size of golf balls." Drought-like conditions for most of the year, and a continuing apple snail problem plagued farmers on Maui. "Taro," continued on page 12

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A batch of apple snails, the dreaded aquatic pests, and their eggs. Apple snails are causing big problems for taro farmers, consequently driving up the price of poi.

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Bill Akiona, president and project manager for the Hawai'i Taro Growers Hui, says manufacturers are going to have to rethink their business strategy because growers are looking to expand their eeonomie base. Of the 200,000 pounds of taro the Hawai'i Taro Growers Hui plans to harvest in 1997, 25 percent is targeted for the mainland U.S. Exporters say they ean get 70 cents per pound for fresh taro. "They (loeal manufacturers) can't pay the price we receive for our fresh taro. But we plan to provide them our number twos (offgrade taro) at a reasonable price (50 cents)," Akiona said. "This situation is very complicated," says Hollyer, "There's a lot of family history between the processors and the farmers." "Farmers are looking to become more significant in the marketing and manufacturing of taro," Akiona said.

"They (taro farmers) are a new breed of entrepreneurs looking to expand their farming operation into the market." According to Sproat, many farmers are interested only in farming. "Most of the farmers, on Kaua'i anyway, don't want to run their own mill. They just want to farm taro," she says. The Reppun farm on O'ahu keeps the grower-processor relationship in the family. Reppun's sister-in-law owns Waiāhole Poi, whieh has been operating for five years. "We can't even meet the demand for the loeal market," Reppun says. "The majority of our poi is sold right out of the building." "I could sell more poi if I had more taro," says Logan, who began his business selling counter-top poi grinders in 1991 and delivered taro door-to-door. Despite a decrease in taro harvest yields, the number of taro-based products increases. Chang sells kulolo and frozen taro leaf, in addition to poi.

Logan's dehvery service has since been echpsed by his attention to his line of taro-based products including vegetarian and fish laulau and kulolo. He also has plans for a retail outlet in Hilo. Renewed interest People are growing taro in their front yards again, says Cook. Cook also coordinates annual taro festivals statewide. The Pacific Islands Taro Festival, held in Jime, is in its ninth year bringing together researchers, educators and taro farmers with the public. "The future of taro is growing with the number of new farmers, poi millers, and people incorporating it in their diets," Cook says. Hollyer says that more people are inquiring about taro farming, but that "it's a slow ball that's rolling." "It's a slow process and if you stare at it, you can't really see it," he says.

"There is a swell of opportunities," Akiona says. Part of the mission of the Hawai'i Taro Growers Hui is to organize family farms to become eeonomie units. Members of the Hui include displaced sugar workers and native Hawaiians. "Taro is so important to our cultural relevance," Akiona says. The average age of taro farmers in Hawai'i is between 50 and 60 years old, says Hollyer. Sproat finds this age range true on Kaua'i and says that the difficult nature of taro farming is not attractive to young people. She says that government should make it easier to farm by offering tax and other incentives. "Government can't go out and help people produce things. The best we ean do is provide people answers to questions about their business and production needs," says Hollyer, "It's up to the entrepreneur and the eommunity to decide if going into taro is right for them."

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Taro continued from page 10