Increasing Marketable Production of Exotic Tropical Fruit with Protective Covering

• 2003 annual report

For hundreds of years throughout most of Asia, farmers have been covering fruit with paper either to protect their appearance or to increase the time the fruit would be on the tree thus making it sweeter. In some locations the bags are used for protection from various pests. Currently there are over 3000 types of bags manufactured in Japan alone. In addition to differences in size, the bags vary in the amount of light being transmitted to the fruit, color of paper, wax coatings and chemicals impregnated in the paper. (.05% daiazinon is the most common). The bags all have a small wire imbedded at the top in order to facilitate the wrapping process. There are slits in the bottom so that any rainwater can drain out. The bags we used for this test were made in Niigata Japan where they are used primarily on apples, asian pears, loquat, peaches, grapes and mango. Bags are used to control ripening time, for desired coloration and for pest control. The company works directly with growers as well as wholesalers to find the best bag for a particular crop. The company recommended the types of bags tested after input from Hawaii growers and a tour of Big Island farms. Members of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers, West Hawaii chapter, Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative and Kona Young Farmers, participated in a number of bagging tests to determine the time to bag various fruit. Fruit chosen to test were loquat, White sapote, Mango, Lychee, Figs and Rambutan. Some collaborators preformed additional tests on abiu, pineapple, strawberry guava, tomato, zucchini, and eggplant. Weather patterns had an effect on which fruit were chosen for more extensive testing. As it was an extremely poor season for mango, we choose to concentrate more on abiu. In all cases, we found the bags very effective in pest control. Other advantages in using the bags were for coloration and length of time the fruit could stay on the tree which in turn increased its value because of better coloration and having the fruit available "off season". Unexpected benefits were drastically reduced -time it takes to inspect and cull. Using the protective bags also helped to create markets for fruit which is not usually found in stores as it is almost always unmarketable due of insect infestation or bird damage. Loquat, white sapote and abiu are examples of fruit what show great market potential with the use of the bags. Marketable Lychee increased dramatically with bag use as did the value per pound. Benefits with other tropical fruit are tremendous but more extensive testing is needed to determine the best types of bags to be used on mango, figs and guava. Results of the testing was presented to an International Fruit Growers' conference held in October of 2002. A display of bags and results are also put on display each Thursday at a farmers market held by the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative. Results are also posted on the web site, http://www.mycoffee.net/fruitindex.html We believe that as farmers adopt the use of the protective bags, the value of their crop will increase both from quality and quantity. Sales of the bags should help the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative increase equity for their members. Increased availability of the unusual fruit will help with consumer awareness in developing extended markets for farmers choosing to greater diversify what they grow. Use of the bags enables farmers to increase production while staying chemical and pesticide free in what they grow and bring to market thus promoting good stewardship of the land.

Introduction

see Summary

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of using protective bags on tropical fruit in order
to increase production and quality as well as to develop new markets for Hawaii. Results were
measured as to both economic impact via market development and the horticultural value of using
protective fruit wrapping as an alternative to chemical treatment.