HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.434 1996-1998 Hawaiian Host, Inc.
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wwvvi ~ Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Hawaii's Gift to the World pp r.,,-„ _ Phone: (808) 848-0500
I-1 _ : FAX: (808) 848-0055
'97 (RRY 15 P(i 1 `Q May 14, 1997
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HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY GF HAWAII
COUNTY OF HAWAII
25 AUPUNI STREET
HII.,O, HAWAII 96720
FAX :1-808-969-3291
Dear Council Members:
The following three pages is my written testimony in BILL # 62.
i
M. DIC A
PRESIDENT & CEO
HAWAIIAN HOST, INC.
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Ref Date MAY 1 5 1997
i. Hawaiian Hos4 Inc.
500 Alakawa Street, #111
® Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Hawaii's Gift to the World Phone: (808) 848-0500
FAX: (808) 848-0OSS
TESTIMONY, HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
BILL # 62
Presented before the
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
COUNTY OF HAWAII
State of Hawaii
by
HAWAIIAN HOST, 1NC.
Honolulu, Hawaii
May 14, 1997
My name is Dick Yoda. I am President of Hawaiian Host, Inc. I appreciate this
opportunity to testify and the committee's efforts to explore ways in which to help
Hawaii's agriculture.
The purpose of my testimony is to speak neither for nor against food irradiation. It is
to call attention to the fact that so far as quarantine treatment of papaya is concerned,
alternatives are already available and more are under development. I wish to share our
experience with one of these, the so-called vapor- heat treatment. In addition we wish to
respectfully raise a few questions about the project's intent and to point out other ways in
which the papaya industry could be helped.
The vapor-heat process is one of the oldest quarantine treatments for papaya and was
used in Hawaii to the early 1960's until displaced by the lower-cost EDB treatment.
When after many years of use EDB was found to be unsafe, vapor-heat treatment was
resurrected, first by Diamond Head Papaya, next by Hawaiian Host, Inc., and now by
IG
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other packing houses in the State of Hawaii. All of these facilities, (capital expenditures )
are fixnded by on-going business establishments and not by government subsidies. The
process is quite simple in principle. Papayas are exposed to moist heated air under
carefully controlled conditions until all parts of the fruit reach at least 117°F (47.2°C) and
then rapidly cooled under acold-water shower.
According to our experience, vapor-heat offers the following benefits:
i. It is the only quarantine treatment approved by both the U.S. and Japan
governments.
z. There are no health questions associated with the process.
3. Unlike the double-dip process, all stages of ripeness may be treated.
4. Treated fruit appear to be less prone to bacterial and mold decay. The so-called
hot-water dip treatment for decay control is unnecessary.
5. Consumer acceptance has been excellent. Some consumers prefer vapor-heat
treated fruits for their milder flavor and long shelf-life.
The capital investment for avapor-heat plant is substantial, but this would probably be
the case for any modern high-tech treatment facility. Hawaiian Host's total investment in
its processing plant was approximately 5-million dollars. I think most people would agree
this is a strong commitment to the industry.
As stated earlier we are neither for nor against irradiation. We are, however, unclear
as to the intended use of the proposed irradiation plant. After testing, and assuming the
results are favorable, will the irradiation plant be used as a commercial facility to compete
against privately-funded plants? If so, we question the propriety of such use and think
such actions discourage entrepreneurial investment by industry. On the other hand, use of
the irradiation plant as a strictly research facility presents no conflict of this kind. Similarly
we have no problem with a commercial irradiation facility being built and operated by
private enterprise. We believe fair competition is good for business, agriculture, and the
consumer. Our question thus has to do with fairness and risk taking in business and not
the pros and cons of food irradiation.
There are alternative ways for the county to help the papaya industry. From our
perspective, one very important way to support the papaya industry is for the county to
invest the two million or so dollars in research and development. Assist in the eradication
of the virus that has invaded the papaya orchids and the clearing of these abandoned
Fields. Assist in the licensing of genetic seed distribution to all farmers small and large on
an equitable basis. The virus that has invaded the orchards has devastated the industry in
the past two years and at the present rate will not be able to recover for at least another
five years.
Therefor I ask that alternatives be weighed against irradiation and put the county fixnds
into research and development for the long term benefit of agriculture.
Thank you for the opportunity to be heard.
M. DICK
PRESIDENT & CEO
HAWAIIAN HOST, PAPAYA