Hawai'i taro production rebounded slightly last year from 2005's record low, and the outlook for 2007 is for a slight improvement over 2006.

Last year, taro for poi totaled 4.4 million pounds, compared with 4.2 million pounds produced in 2005, according to the Hawai'i Agricultural Statistics Service. The 2005 crop was lower than 2003's, when 5 million pounds were harvested.

Heavy rains and floods earlier in the year on Kaua'i were primarily responsible for last year's relatively low yield, said Eric Enomoto, president of HPC Foods, formerly known as Honolulu Poi Co. Kaua'i produces between 60 percent and 70 percent of the state's taro.

The bad weather led to a drop in fourth-quarter taro production last year to 1.2 million pounds, 2 percent below the same period in 2005. The year-end total was far below the five-year average of 5.1 million pounds.

The report released Wednesday included only taro used for poi and did not include the farm price for the crop.

The farm value of taro sales in 2005 was $2.2 million, down 23 percent from 2004 and the lowest since 1989.

Enomoto said he's hoping for better weather and a higher yield this year.

"We haven't had major floods like we did last year; however, the cold weather and the cloudy conditions did also impact the crop this year," Enomoto said. "We don't expect it to be as bad as last year, but still then crops have been impacted."

He said taro production also has been hurt by apple snail infestations and pocket rot disease.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.