Hawai'i growers produced 2.8 million pounds of papayas in July, up 9 percent from June and up 34 percent from July 2008, according to a report from the local office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Through the first seven months of the year, papaya production totaled 17.5 million pounds, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier.
Papaya growers received 45 cents a pound for fresh fruit in July, 1 cent higher than in June, but up 5 cents a pound lower than in July 2008. The average price for all of 2008 was 45.5 cents a pound, according to the statistics service.
In July, warm weather mixed with variable showers benefited flowering and fruit ripening, according to the agency. Favorable weather also helped growers with field maintenance.