Hawaii coffee production for the current 2005-2006 is estimated at 6.4 million pounds, according to a survey of growers by the National Agricultural Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office.

Farm prices are anticipated to average $3.80 per pound, up 7 percent from the previous season and the highest prices in 16 seasons.

Farm value should total $24.3 million, up 22 percent from the 2004/05 season and the highest total in seven seasons. Based on last season’s farm value of $19.9 million, coffee was seventh among crops; behind pineapple, sugarcane, seed crops, macadamia nuts, cattle, and milk.

“Improved weather conditions in the major coffee growing areas were a major factor for this season’s higher output,” said Mark Hudson, director of the field office in Honolulu. “While the 2003/04 season was too wet in many areas, conditions during the start of the 2005/06 season were close to normal in the coffee areas.”

Statewide acreage in coffee is estimated at 8,000 acres, up 4 percent and tying the previous record high achieved during the 2001/02 season. The island of Hawaii and the combined total from all other areas shared equally in the increased acreage. In terms of total acreage in crop, coffee is only surpassed by sugarcane, pineapples and macadamia nuts.

Coffee acreage in the North and South Kona districts totaled 3,450 acres for the 2005/06 season, up 6 percent. These two districts will account for 43 percent of the state’s total coffee acreage this season. The Big Island’s remaining coffee fields are spread throughout the other 7 districts and totaled 450 acres, unchanged from the 2004/05 season. Based on a mid-season survey of coffee growers and millers, Big Island production should reach 3.6 million pounds, up 13 percent from last year.

“Kona,” Hudson said, “experienced a relatively dry winter followed by above or near normal spring rains which triggered the flowering. Spring showers, however, arrived later-than-normal and resulted in a belated start to the harvesting season. Some farmers in the Kona area also reported a shortage of labor to harvest their berries.”

Combined production from the rest of the state should total 2.8 million pounds, up 14 percent.

“The boost in production from these combined counties will be largely the result of a 17 percent increase in harvested acreage to 2,800 acres,” Hudson said. “Like the Big Island, harvesting got off to a slower than normal start this season.”

The beans are still being picked, but the current Hawaii coffee harvest is shaping up to be 19 percent larger than the one a year ago.

Hawaii coffee production for the current 2005-2006 is estimated at 6.4 million pounds, according to a survey of growers by the National Agricultural Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office.

Farm prices are anticipated to average $3.80 per pound, up 7 percent from the previous season and the highest prices in 16 seasons.

Farm value should total $24.3 million, up 22 percent from the 2004/05 season and the highest total in seven seasons. Based on last season’s farm value of $19.9 million, coffee was seventh among crops; behind pineapple, sugarcane, seed crops, macadamia nuts, cattle, and milk.

“Improved weather conditions in the major coffee growing areas were a major factor for this season’s higher output,” said Mark Hudson, director of the field office in Honolulu. “While the 2003/04 season was too wet in many areas, conditions during the start of the 2005/06 season were close to normal in the coffee areas.”

Statewide acreage in coffee is estimated at 8,000 acres, up 4 percent and tying the previous record high achieved during the 2001/02 season. The island of Hawaii and the combined total from all other areas shared equally in the increased acreage. In terms of total acreage in crop, coffee is only surpassed by sugarcane, pineapples and macadamia nuts.

Coffee acreage in the North and South Kona districts totaled 3,450 acres for the 2005/06 season, up 6 percent. These two districts will account for 43 percent of the state’s total coffee acreage this season. The Big Island’s remaining coffee fields are spread throughout the other 7 districts and totaled 450 acres, unchanged from the 2004/05 season. Based on a mid-season survey of coffee growers and millers, Big Island production should reach 3.6 million pounds, up 13 percent from last year.

“Kona,” Hudson said, “experienced a relatively dry winter followed by above or near normal spring rains which triggered the flowering. Spring showers, however, arrived later-than-normal and resulted in a belated start to the harvesting season. Some farmers in the Kona area also reported a shortage of labor to harvest their berries.”

Combined production from the rest of the state should total 2.8 million pounds, up 14 percent.

“The boost in production from these combined counties will be largely the result of a 17 percent increase in harvested acreage to 2,800 acres,” Hudson said. “Like the Big Island, harvesting got off to a slower than normal start this season.”