Island Fresh bananas are selling for less starting today. Prices will run from about 49 to 69 cents a pound through mid-September. Participating supermarkets are Foodland, Safeway, Times, 99 Ranch, and military commissaries. Local banana prices
are on the way downThe price promotion, sponsored by the Hawaii Banana Industry Associa-tion and the state Department of Agriculture, comes after record bana-na production in Hawaii. Last month, local farmers produced 1.9 million pounds of Cavendish bananas, a 63 percent increase from July 1997, the department said. For the first seven months this year, banana production is up 82 percent.
Just one year ago, more than 50 percent of our bananas were being imported, said David Holzman, owner of Aloha Farms, which last year planted 370 acres of former North Shore sugar lands with bananas. Aloha Farms is now supplying a million pounds of bananas a month, he said.
Other good buys at supermarkets this week are red seedless grapes at 89 cents at Foodland, Sack N Save and Star. These are good as snacks in the lunch box, but tossed with shredded romaine lettuce, chopped walnuts and a vinaigrette, they make a refreshing salad.
Watermelon is still low in price at 15 cents a pound for the Kunia variety at Foodland and 19 cents a pound at Star. Cantaloupes also remain a good buy; 23 cents a pound at Safeway, 39 cents a pound at Daiei and 59 cents at Star.
Tomatoes are lower in price than usual at 79 cents at Foodland and 99 cents at Safeway. (All prices reflect club savings.)
Star-Bulletin staff
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