Rotten luck at pumpkin farm

By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer

Before heavy rain soaked Aloun Farms' fields in 'Ewa, workers harvested an earlier-maturing crop of pumpkins last week for distribution to O'ahu grocery stores that committed to buy pumpkins locally. The rain ruined later-bearing crops. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

What's worse: This year was the first in which nearly every major supermarket chain committed to buying the decorative orange gourds locally, and hardly any Mainland emergency orders were possible because of the West Coast shipping backlog.

"Don't tell my family, but we're not going to have a pumpkin this year," said Chris Swoish, president of local produce wholesaler James D. Swoish Inc.

An estimated 30,000 pumpkins rotted after unusual weather last week dumped 4 inches of rain into the 'Ewa fields of Aloun Farms, the only commercial pumpkin grower in the Islands.

"We couldn't go into the fields for five days, and because the pumpkins are ready, it rots," said Wayne Kaiura, Aloun's warehouse and sales manager.

Kaiura said about 60,000 good pumpkins have already gone to market, and today will probably be the last day for delivery to supermarkets, some of which are expected to run short next week when most people look to make jack-o'-lanterns.

"Right now we're trying to help out (supermarkets) and give everybody just little bit each," Kaiura said.

Derek Kurisu, executive vice president of KTA Super Stores on the Big Island, said he'll probably run out.

"I was depending quite a bit on Aloun Farms," he said.

Sheryl Toda, spokeswoman for Foodland, said stores will be short of pumpkins until an emergency delivery from the Mainland arrives Monday or Tuesday.

Armstrong Produce Vice President Kelvin Shigemura said the company in past years ordered five shipping containers full of Mainland pumpkins. But because of Aloun's success growing pumpkins last year, Armstrong committed to buy locally.

"We weren't worried (about shipping delays), but Mother Nature took its toll," he said.

Armstrong, on short notice, was lucky to get its supermarket customers one container of pumpkins due to arrive Monday on a Matson ship.

Kahala Mall wasn't so lucky. The shopping center had to cancel its annual free pumpkin promotion, originally set for tomorrow, because it couldn't get enough.

"To get more between now and Oct. 31 just wasn't going to work out," said mall spokeswoman Regina Srajer.

"What can you do?" asked Swoish. "All our (pumpkins) are in the local basket."