Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
- Fruits: avocados, other
Practices
- Crop Production: cropping systems, postharvest treatment
- Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer, networking, on-farm/ranch research, workshop
- Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, quality of life
Summary:
The mango loa project is a continuation of project FW17-034 and will carry on the objectives into the production years.
Hawaii used to have a robust agriculture based economy that has slowly been replaced by tourism. Even before Covid-19, we the people of Hawaii have been voicing the demand to have a more balanced and diversified economy, by rebuilding and growing our agricultural industries. Tree crops like mangoes, avocados, and citruses have been identified as having great potential. According to the most recent national agriculture statistics, Hawaii reported producing 270,000 lbs. of mango in 2017, while importing millions of pounds from Central and South America.
The mango loa project’s goal is to improve Hawaii’s mango industry by incorporating two new innovative high density orchard management systems that have been completely changing tropical fruit production around the world. These systems are the ultra high density plantation and the open Tatura trellis systems.
With the conventional mango orchard, a realistic expectation of production is two to five tons/acre. The two new systems mentioned above have been producing eight to twenty tons/acre. Aside from that, these systems are a more efficient use of land, natural resources, and inputs; it reduces the demand on labor; and has a quicker time to production. Utilizing these high density systems have the potential to double Hawaii’s mango production with just 20 acres.
The project will be disseminated through farm field days, farmer to farmer tours, online events, power point presentations, videos, posters, and networking.
Project objectives:
The objectives of this project is to demonstrate two high density orchard management systems and report on the harvest and production of these systems. another object is to demonstrate harvest and post harvest practices to preserve the quality of the produce. The educational objectives is to reach Hawaii's tropical fruit farmers and professionals and make them aware of these new innovative techniques that have been improving the yield and quality of tropical fruit production, improving profitability, and improving the quality of life of farmers.