Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 11, 1 November 1998 — NUKE FRUIT? [ARTICLE]

NUKE FRUIT?

In November, Big Island voters will decide whether an irradiation facility should be built to treat our loeal fruit for "fruit fly" infestation before shipment to the mainland. The fruit fly has been on the planet for 12 million years. If it could survive a temperate climate, it wouId have established itself in those places by now. Every known tropical fruit is available in markets in Washington, Oregon and California. This fruit is from tropical Central and South American countries and none of it is treated in any way whatsoever. Why, then, is Hawai'i fruit kept off mainland shelves? The only conclusion is mainland fruit growers keep our produce out. Our government should be petitioning the Fair Trade Commission. Damages awarded would be in the millions. The issue is not irradiation, whieh will add 20 cents a pound to the cost of our fruit, reducing its appeal, but an unfair trade practice whieh will continue whether or not we irradiate our fruit. Kelly Greenwell Kailua-Kona

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