Pineapple Ends Reign in Hawaii

One-Time King of Fruits Abandoned for More Profitable Crops

WAIALUA, Hawaii -- Alan Wong remembers working as a teenager on central Oahu's pineapple fields. Now, parts of the island's huge plantations no longer grow a fruit that for many symbolized America's 50th state.

"It was a different time," Wong said. "It's a little sad."

Across the Hawaiian islands, the famous industry is slumping as pineapples are being grown and shipped cheaply to the United States from Thailand, the Philippines, Brazil, China, India and Costa Rica.

With the industry facing stiff foreign competition, specialized crops such as noni, papaya and macadamia nuts are filling the void.

"We're losing what Hawaii once had, but we're moving forward to a better time," said Wong, a well-known local chef and the owner of several restaurants, including the Pineapple Room in Honolulu. "If you want a taste of Hawaii, you can have it in ways you never had before."

The transition to niche fruits and vegetables has been steadily growing over the past 20 years.

Revenue from products such as coffee, mangos, flowers and other tropical fruits has increased from $204 million in 1984 to $403 million in 2004, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

By comparison, pineapple production was $83.1 million in 2004, down from $88.9 million in 1984.

Pineapple fields covered about 13,000 acres on Hawaii in 2004, down from 35,000 acres in 1987.

In February, Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. announced it would end its Hawaii pineapple operations by mid-2008. About 700 workers would lose jobs dating back to an era when plantations imported workers from Asia.

As Hawaii's traditional crop has declined, farmers have shifted to more specialized food products that sell for premium prices.

One is the round, pale and bumpy noni. The bitter-tasting juice from the fruit -- which sells for about $30 a bottle -- is being promoted as a remedy for fever, skin infections, stomach pain and respiratory ailments.