Hawai'i taro production for poi during the third quarter was 23 percent below the same quarter last year in part because of adverse weather conditions, according to an estimate from the local field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Production is estimated at 965,000 pounds for the three months ended in September, down from 1.25 million pounds in the same three months last year.

Compared with the second quarter, production was up 5 percent.

DELTA TO ADD HAWAI'I FLIGHTS IN JUNE

Delta Air Lines is the latest carrier to announce expanded service to Hawai'i, saying it will begin nonstop flights to Honolulu from Detroit and San Diego beginning in June.

Delta's announcement comes on the heels of Alaska Airlines' launch last month of service between two California cities and Maui.

Delta said the new service marks the first time it has served Honolulu from San Diego and reinstates nonstop service from Detroit that had been discontinued in 2004.

The San Diego flight will be daily starting June 3, while the Detroit flight will be on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday beginning June 2.

SAN DIEGO FIRM BUYS MAC NUT ORCHARD

A San Diego-based real estate investment firm has acquired the 736-acre Kea'au Macadamia Nut Orchard on the Big Island, according Colliers Monroe Friedlander, which brokered the deal.

Geyser Holdings, through its Geyser Keaau Hawaii LLC subsidiary, bought the property for an undisclosed amount.

The Kea'au Macadamia Nut Orchard has contracts to supply nuts to Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Co., a subsidiary of The Hershey Co.

Geyser manages a $400 million portfolio of real estate from its offices in San Diego.