Hawaii's Crops
Agriculture was the main industry in Hawaii going back to its earliest days. However, over the last 50 years the revenue dollars generated by tourism has far exceeded any other business by far.
The six islands of Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, The Big Island, Molokai, and Lanai, all offer distinct experiences that tourists are drawn to: spectacular beaches, wonderful scenery and a tropical climate that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. The fresh, floral air energizes you and the breathtaking, natural beauty renews you. One trip to Hawaii a year will keep the doctor away.
Kona Coffee
Kona is synonymous with great coffee; when people think about great coffee they generally think about Hawaii's Kona coffee. The kona coffee culture has long been characterized by a strong work ethic, independence, self-sufficiency, family unity, and cooperation.
Hawaii remains the only state where coffee is commercially grown. Kona coffee remains very rare because most coffee farms are only two to three acres. The world thirst for gourmet coffee remains high assuring continued good times for the kona coffee growers.
Macadamia Nut
Hawaii is considered the macadamia nut capital of the world, growing 90% of the world crop. Hawaii's 700 farms and eight processing plants employ around 4,000 workers.
Ironically, the macadamia tree is not even native to Hawaii, with the first tree being planted in 1882 in Kapulena on the big island of Hawaii.
Nuts are not picked from the tree but are harvested when they become fully ripe and fall from the tree. The shell of the macadamia nut is the toughest nut shell of any nut in the world, requiring 300 pounds per square inch to break it.
Macadamia nuts are high in monounsaturated fatty acid and have been demonstrated to help reduce overall cholesterol levels.
Sugar Cane
Uses of sugar cane include the production of sugar, molasses's, rum, soda, and ethanol fuels. The bagasse that remains after sugar cane crushing may be burned as fuel to provide heat and be used as a raw material for paper and cardboard.
Sugarcane was originally from tropical South Asia. Not to long after it arrived in the state, sugar cane became dominant in the economic and political landscape.
Tropical Fruit
Because of quarantine restrictions and regulations on the mainland, the only large markets of tropical fruits that exist are in ginger and pineapple.
Pineapple was discovered by the Spanish in Central America and they were largely responsible for pineapple's spread around the world. Hawaii's climate is perfect for growing pineapple because of its efficient use of water.
Ginger is imported to the mainland to be used in ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, ginger cake, and ginger biscuits. A ginger flavored wine is produced and traditionally sold in green glass bottles.