Hawai'i's banana and guava production fell in 2008 as market factors and lower acreage devoted to the crops declined.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported banana production for the fresh market totaled 17.4 million pounds last year, almost one third less than the prior year, when 25.6 million pounds were produced.

The statistics service, in coordination with the Hawai'i Department of Agriculture, said the banana crop faced several hurdles, including lower yield per acre. In 2008, there were 1,300 acres devoted to bananas, or 200 fewer acres than the prior year.

The value of the crop also fell to $8 million from $10.5 million a year earlier.

Meanwhile, guava production fell by almost one-fifth as the amount of land devoted to the crop was severely cut. The statistics service reported 3.5 million pounds of the fruit was produced in 2008, or 800,000 pounds less than the prior year.

It was the lowest amount harvested since 1977 as guava production continues to dwindle from a high of 24,100 pounds reached in 1990. The value of guava sales was $553,000, with an average farm price of 15.8 cents a pound.

The statistics service reported the acreage devoted to guava fell 61 percent to 180 acres during the year as large amounts of guava was taken out of production on Kaua'i.