COM 0042.073 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNTY [TRENDS] PROFILE The County of Hawaii encompasses the island of Hawaii, which is the southeasternmost and largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago. The land area of the County is approximately twice [that] the combined land area of all the other islands of the State. The island of Hawaii has a diverse climate, topography[,] and scenic beauty. Environments [range from] include dense tropical forests; majestic snowcapped mountains; active volcanoes; black, white, and green sand beaches; deeply eroded valleys; and large expanses of grazing land. Each [of the districts provide] district provides a variety of settings for human activity, land and resource utilization, or wilderness areas of minimal human intrusion. The Countv of Hawaii has expanded into new fields of industrv such as astronomy, high technology, renewable energy, health and wellness, agricultural and eco-tourism. diversified agriculture and aauaculture. The County's continuing support of research and development in these emerging fields will ensure a promising future for the island's economv and its residents. Specific examples include the establishment of the Agricultural Research Center of the Pacific, conversion of the old sewer treatment plant near Puhi Bav in Hilo to an aauaculture facility, and the construction of an agricultural water system in Ka'u. The County's overall economic outlook remains mixed due to the County's dependence on the condition of the State's economv. Since 1990, the State's economv has been in a period of decline. While there are opportunities for expansion into new and existing industries, external factors such as the world economv may have an impact on the County's future economv. [Agn-iculture] Throughout the County's history, agriculture has played an important role in the County's economy [throughout its history]. In the late 1700's, [Hawaii] Hawaii's agricultural industrv began by provisioning ships. During the 1800's, sugar production and cattle ranching emerged as leaders of the modern agricultural industry. These industries dominated the island's economy and social fabric well into the 1900s. The 1980's and 1990's saw the demise of sugar cultivation and the steady decline in cattle production. These once dominant industries have been replaced by fully diversified agriculture including flowers and nurserv aroducts, coffee, macadamia nuts, troaical fruits, vegetable crops, orchards, aauaculture, and forestry. Import replacement and expansion of export products and markets are increasing. The three leading agricultural industries within the Countv are flowers and nurserv products, vegetables, and macadamia nuts. Combined, these three agricultural industries accounted for over 50 per cent of the total value of agricultural production in the Countv in 1997. When compared statewide, the County of Hawaii produces 35 per cent of fresh vegetables, 72 per cent of bananas, 30 per cent of coffee, 95 per cent of macadamia nuts, and 51 per cent of flowers and nurserv products. Agriculture's future remains favorable with the strong diversification and development of new export protocol and technology. [Sugar, ranching and diversified agriculture continues to bean integral part of the County's economy. Commercial growing of nearly every tropical and semi-tropical product have been 12 Introduction