Coffee revenue, production fall
Advertiser Staff and News Services
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Farm revenues for Hawai'i's coffee industry fell 17 percent to $19.9 million during the 2004-05 season, according to an estimate released yesterday by the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service.
Statewide coffee production fell 33 percent from last season's harvest, to 5.6 million pounds. Meanwhile coffee farmers received an average of $3.55 per pound (parchment equivalent) during the 2004-05 season, up 22 percent from last season and the highest return in 16 seasons.
The 2004-05 crop was hurt by wet winter weather during the 2003-04 season.
CONCERNS RAISED OVER CARGO SITE
More than 100 farmers and one of the governor's top advisers gathered at a Kona coffee farm Friday to express concern about a proposed air cargo fulfillment center at Kona International Airport.
Linda Smith, senior policy adviser to Gov. Linda Lingle, said three main issues need to be addressed: labor concerns, importing concerns and over-capacity of processing facilities.
Earlier this year the state approved $25 million in special purpose revenue bonds to assist PLK Air Services Group LLC in building a coffee and macadamia manufacturing facility and air cargo logistics and fulfillment center at Kona International Airport.
Albert Kam, chairman for PLK Air Services Group, said yesterday the company plans to create more than 350 jobs in Kona.
HAWAIIAN, JAL LINK E-TICKETING
Hawaiian Airlines is teaming up with Japan Airlines to offer a new e-ticketing program for interisland flights.
Travelers in Japan can now purchase a single e-ticket from Japan Airlines that will allow them to receive boarding passes on Hawaiian for connecting flights to the Neighbor Islands.
FORMER EXECS AT B-M SQUIBB SUED
WASHINGTON — Two former executives of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., previously indicted on criminal conspiracy and securities fraud charges, were sued yesterday by federal regulators who accused them of civil fraud in orchestrating a $1.5 billion scheme to deceive investors about the company's performance.
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the lawsuit against Frederick Schiff, Bristol-Myers' former chief financial officer, and Richard Lane, former executive vice president and president of the pharmaceutical company's worldwide medicines group.
