Travel
Hawaii 2017
(After clicking on each link for island pictures (followed by back button), click on invisible mid-right '>' of large picture to advance; captions for each picture are beneath thumbnails.)
Hawaii is no longer a supplier of sugar cane, due to shipping and labor costs. Similarly, Hawaii exports only 20% of its pineapple production; the remaining 80% remains in Hawaii. Maui is the center of pineapple production, particularly the new golden pineapple, which was genetically engineered to contain more sugar and less acid - it is delicious. Again, exports of pineapple have decreased because of labor costs, and the demand for fresh pineapple; Dole left Hawaii years ago. The current cash crops in Hawaii are now Macadamia nuts and Kona & Kauai coffee, the latter of which is picked mechanically. By far, the largest industry is now tourism, a year-round endeavor. Unfortunately, the cost of living in Hawaii is extremely high, because just about everything must be imported.