DataFile for Sunday — February 12, 2006

down 22 percent compared to 2004’s harvests, according to

statistics from the state Department of Agriculture. Most of the

state’s taro for poi is grown in Hanalei Valley. Last year, just

3,900,000 pounds of taro was harvested for poi, down from 5,000,000

pounds the year before, and way down from the five-year average of

5,609,000 pounds each year for the years 2000 to 2004. State

officials offered no explanation as to why the harvest decreased

last year.