The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced the 31st Annual Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Conference to go virtual for the second consecutive year.
Itinerary material from the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) website is available to view online, and those interested in the event are encouraged to join a question-and-answer online meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 10 a.m.
The presentations are pitched to farmers, educators, orchard managers and proponents of sustainable agriculture, with mango expert Stephen Brady serving as the keynote speaker.
Brady planted his first lemon seed when he was six years old and his first mango seed at seven years old, and he has been collecting and growing a variety of exotic fruits for over 61 years.
According to HTFG, Brady “helped to found the Naples Botanical Garden and served on its Collections Committee, and for a number of years, was the curator of the Tropical Fruit and Edible Plants Collection.”
In addition, HTFG President Mark Suiso of Oahu’s Makaha Mangoes will discuss his fruit-growing tips.
The HTFG organization was established in 1989 in an effort to promote tropical fruit grown in the state. The association is composed of tropical fruit growers, packers, distributors and hobbyists dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion.
