Last month, a shipment of 1,000 Sharwil avocados arrived in a Minnesota distributor's warehouse; marking the first time in 25 years that any type of Hawaii avocado has been sent to the mainland. This is due to the easing of U.S. Department of Agriculture export regulations.
“This is very, very exciting for the whole state,” said Kona avocado grower Brooks Wakefield, who, with her husband, Bill, is a board member of the Hawaii Avocado Association.
Export of all Hawaii avocados to the mainland was banned in 1992 after a fruit fly species was found in an outbound shipment. Avocados could still be sent if they went through a fumigation process, but that can affect taste.
Now, growers and avocado aficionados alike can reap the benefits of the eased regulations.
“If the growers follow the compliance requirements in the pack house, we’re able to ship a fresh product to the mainland without treating with chemicals or irradiation,” said Glenn Sako, an agricultural specialist with the Hawaii County Research and Development Department.
“It opens up a big market for us, and the prices are higher,” Wakefield said.
Mainland prices are estimated to be double what growers can get per pound in-state.
The USDA approved its regulation to ship Sharwils — and only Sharwils — in October 2013. The avocados can be sent to 32 states, all in northern regions inhospitable to fruit flies, as well as Washington, D.C.
“It just took a little bit to get the things moving along,” Sako said of the lag between the regulation’s approval and the first shipment.
Implementation procedures were set in place by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. APHIS must certify each participating avocado farm, which in turn must follow protocol for sanitation and fruit fly monitoring.
A Sharwil avocado is larger than the most common mainland variety, the Hass. But its candidacy for export stems mainly from its tougher skin, which makes the Sharwil a poor fruit fly host.
Brooks and her husband also grow Malama avocados, but have been transitioning to Sharwil for some time. Many other farmers are doing the same, she said.
Sako said the hope is the pilot shipment’s success will encourage more growers to begin cultivating Sharwil.
Two additional sample boxes already were sent to distributors in Philadelphia and New York.
The Sharwil shipping season permitted by the USDA is Nov. 1 to March 31.
