Highlighted News Stories from November & December 2023.

Mahi Pono brings crops (citrus/coffee/potatoes/etc.) to packing facility.

In an expansive warehouse behind the old Puunene Mill, Mahi Pono established a new packing facility, streamlining the processing of Maui-grown limes. The mechanical equipment allows for rinsing, brushing, and shining the produce, significantly increasing the quantity available for sale.

Chris Miller, Mahi Pono’s VP of harvest/post-harvest operations, likens it to a “car wash for fruit.” Presently, the facility deals exclusively with packing limes and lemons. The limes are hand-graded, separating the fruit into two categories, with the option for customers to select their preferred grade based on price. The boxed produce is currently distributed to Kula Produce on Maui and Armstrong Produce on Oahu, with future plans for supermarket shelves. This packing facility represents one of Mahi Pono’s advancements as they manage 41,000 acres of agricultural land in Central Maui. The company has made significant strides in planting trees and preparing land for various crops. Plans include expanding crops to onions, coffee, and avocados in the coming months.

Vibrant pink pond, between North Kihei and Māʻalaea, perplexes public.

Residents and visitors marvel at a stunning, rare occurrence at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, a coastal salt marsh near North Kihei and Māʻalaea. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, water samples sent to Univ. of Hawaii suggest halobacteria caused the magenta hue… See photos at Instagram.com/MauiRealEstateAdvisors or Facebook.com/MauiRealEstateAdvisors

Note: Parts of this post were written using ChatGPT, with details gathered from Maui News.