Hawaii-2011-HR263-Introduced

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has a propitious opportunity to develop a new industry in the growing, cultivating, processing, and shipping of Hawaii-grown cacao to the mainland United States, Asia and the rest of the world; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is the only state in close proximity to both Asia and the continental United States, and is ideally located to capture and prosper from the opportunities of a growing cacao market, which currently generates $75 billion annually worldwide; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has a once in a twenty year opportunity to seize the momentum of the growing success and popularity of locally grown agricultural products, which includes fine artesian cacao; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's rich soil and perennial warm climate position it as the only state in the United States that can commercially grow artesian cacao; and

WHEREAS, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is the premier forum for Asia-Pacific economies to cooperate on regional trade and investment issues; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii can seize the opportunity of this growing industry by offering dignitaries of APEC Hawaii's finest agricultural products, which include local artesian confections filled with locally grown papaya, mango, lilikoi, pineapple, Ka'u orange and other popular products locally grown in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the cacao industry is poised to heighten the State's economy with a broad range of job opportunities and can be one of the crops of diversified agriculture, production and processing, and can be a component of the State's efforts to promote agri-tourism, which often contributes more revenue than the actual crop growing activity; and

WHEREAS, Asia has already developed into a major chocolate market with Japan experiencing significant increased chocolate consumption during the past decade, and leading hotels and businesses are offering chocolate tastings to educate the consumer on cacao's benefits; and

WHEREAS, branding of Hawaii's cacao or chocolate products as being produced in Hawaii at high quality standards will differentiate them as unique or distinct from chocolate products from the rest of the world; and

WHEREAS, the terms "Hawaii Cacao" or "Hawaii Regional Cacao" will elevate the standing of Hawaii as a genuine artesian cacao producer, building on the market penetration of Hawaii chocolate products which, when combined with local agricultural products, will elevate Hawaii's cacao industry to new heights; and

WHEREAS, according to E. Guittard Chocolate Company, Hawaii-grown cacao is currently enjoying a price premium two to four times higher than fine flavor cacao that is traded in world markets; and

WHEREAS, the Ninth Annual Kona Chocolate Festival and Symposium which was held in April 2010 in Keauhou, Big Island, and the Hawaii Chocolate Festival which was held in February 2011 at Aloha Tower Marketplace was equally successful; and

WHEREAS, the Waialua Estate Chocolate was awarded the 2010 Gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco Chocolate Salon Ceremony, and, in addition, has received high recognition for its 70% dark chocolate by the London Academy of Chocolate; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is a multi faceted State that takes pride in all of its culture and heritage; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaiian and Asian culture in Hawaii has a direct influence on who we are and the pride we all take in our culture by sharing gifts and souvenirs that represent our unique culture and heritage; and

WHEREAS, APEC is a great opportunity for Hawaii to share with the rest of the world what it has to offer by sharing its locally grown products, unique to our State with the rest of the world to everyone attending the conference; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that the legislature hereby urges APEC to promote, showcase and offer Hawaii's finest confections filled with locally grown products to the dignitaries of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation throughout its conference; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee, the Director of the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, the Chairperson of the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Requesting APEC Host Committee to select Hawaii agricultural products.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	263
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII