Hawaii island farmers lost $28M from damages caused by Kilauea volcano
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Fissure 17 continued to erupt, steam and flow in the Kapoho area of Puna on May 18. A survey by the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources found farmers had collectively lost an estimated $27.9 million in destroyed property by the Kilauea volcano.
HILO >> A survey of Big Island farmers has found that they have suffered nearly $28 million from damages caused by the months-long eruption earlier this year of the Kilauea volcano, the Hawaii Tribune Herald Opens in a new tabreports Opens in a new tab.
The newspaper reports that the survey of 46 farmers by University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources found they had collectively lost an estimated $27.9 million in destroyed property.
The Herald Tribune says that of the total damages reported, nearly two thirds — $17 million — were specifically damage to crops, while destroyed land, buildings and inventory accounted for $4.1 million, $3.3 million and $3 million in losses, respectively.
The survey found that $13.3 million of the reported damages were from the floriculture industry, with another $6.5 from the papaya industry and $2.5 from the macadamia nut industry.
