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 reports.
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.
