Best year in a decade blooms for isle’s flowers

Last year was the best year in a decade for Hawaii flower and landscape plant farmers, according to a recent report.

The industry generated $77.6 million in sales, which was up 4 percent from $74.5 million in 2016 and was the highest take since $94.7 million in 2008.

The good news is in a report from the National Agricultural Statistics Serv­ice branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which surveys farmers with the help of the state Department of Agriculture.

However, the industry is bracing for a downturn this year because many flower farms have been under siege from the volcanic eruption on Hawaii island since May. Plants have been killed by volcanic gases, and farms have been covered by lava.

Last year’s improvement was concentrated in a category of “other” nursery products not specifically identified. Sales in this category almost doubled to $8.9 million last year from $4.5 million the year before.

Another positive for the industry was the plant rental business. Revenue from plant rentals rose by 22 percent to $3.4 million last year from $2.8 million the year before, the report said.

One area that suffered a major decline was potted palms, where sales sank 19 percent to $4.6 million last year from $5.7 million a year earlier.

Sales of trees and sod for landscaping slipped 3 percent to $22.4 million last year from $23.1 million a year earlier.

There wasn’t much change in other major categories, including cut anthuriums, potted orchids, lei flowers and poinsettias.

Hawaii’s floriculture and nursery industry last year covered 2,746 acres, up from 2,264 acres the year before.

The survey used to disclose the number of farms but hasn’t done that since 2011, when the count was 970.

In the industry’s peak year in 2007, when sales hit $109 million, there were 1,060 farms covering 4,376 acres, including 475 farms on Hawaii island, 285 on Oahu, 210 in Maui County and 90 on Kauai.