Hawai'i coffee growers produced more beans this season, but the overall value of the crop declined because of lower prices.

The price decline mostly hit Big Island farmers who produce Kona coffee, while the production increase was achieved largely by farmers on other islands where coffee sells for less and helped bring down the industry's average price.

The local field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that Hawai'i coffee growers sold 8.6 million pounds of beans in the 2008-09 season ended earlier this year, the highest production in eight years and a 15 percent rise from 7.5 million pounds last season.

But the average price paid to farmers dropped 20 percent to $3.40 per pound, which was the lowest average price in five years and down from $4.25 last season.

Total industry crop value was $29.2 million, which was the lowest in four years and down from $31.9 million last season.

Most of the production increase occurred because farms on one or more of the islands of Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i and O'ahu had higher yields. The four islands harvested 3,400 acres this season, unchanged from last season, but obtained 4.6 million pounds of saleable coffee, up from 3.6 million pounds. The average price was $1.75, down 6 cents from last season.

To avoid disclosing results of individual farms, the National Agricultural Statistics Service doesn't break down industry figures by island except for the Big Island, where nearly all of the state's 830 farms are located.

On the Big Island, farmers produced 4 million pounds of coffee this season, up from 3.9 million pounds last season. The production increase was achieved despite 100 fewer acres being harvested. The average price was $5.30, down from $6.50.