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Apr-2.-97 10:37A Kahili Farm SOS 828 1803 P_02 KAHILI FARM P. o. Box 30 KILAUEA, HAWAII 96754 PHONE 808 828 1292 FAX 8088281803 HAWAII COUNTY COUNCII. 25 AUPAUNI STREET HILO, HAWAII 96720 APRIL 21, 1997 DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS MIKE STRONG AND I AM A GROWER OF TROPICAL FRUIT ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI. WE GROW SUNRISE PAPAYA, LOW ACID PINEAPPLE, RAMBUTAN, LYCHEE, LONGAN AND MANGOSTEEN ON 150 ACRES. WE HAVE BEEN FARMING ON KAUAI FOR 24 YEARS AND GROWING EXOTIC FRUITS FOR 15 YEARS. DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE FORMED A MARKETING COOP, WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TO PROMOTE TROPICAL FRUIT AND PARTICII'ATED WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LAB IN HII.O TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR PRODUCT TO BE SHIPPED TO THE MAINLAND AND JAPAN. THE PROMOTIONAL WORK DONE WITH THE STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS SHOW A TREMENDOUS MARKET FOR OUR EXOTIC FRUITS. MOST OF OUR FRUITS ARE PRODUCED OUT OF SEASON MAKING HAWAII THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD THAT PRODUCES THESE FRUITS DURING THOSE PERIODS. THIS GIVES US A UNIQUE MARKETING ADVANTAGE, WE HAVE LITTLE OR NO COMPETITION FOR MUCH OF OUR FRUIT PRODUCTION. AS OUR STATE IS AT A CROSSROADS IN AGRICULTURE WE NEED ALL THE VARIETY WE CAN GET TO BE TRULY DIVERSIFIED. WE HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS FOR FRUIT FLY FOR THE VARIOUS CROPS FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS SO FAR THERE IS ONE TREATMENT FOR STAR FRUIT AND THAT TREATMENT HAS NOT WORKED WELL ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE. THE OTHER FRUITS HAVE NO TREATMENTS AND WE ARE UNABLE TO SEND THEM TO THE MAINLAND U.S. OR JAPAN. THIS MEANS OUR INDUSTRY WILL NEVER REACH ITS POTENTIAL BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHIP FRUIT NOW TO ENCOURAGE MORE PLANTINGS BY OTHER FARMERS. WITHOUT MORE PLANTINGS THE INDUSTRY WII,L NOT BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY MARKET ITS PRODUCT ON THE MAINLAND AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR HAWAII'S FUTURE WILL BE LOST.