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Mission Statement: Maui Flower Growers' Association (MFGA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Maui's flower growing industry locally, nationally and worldwide in retail and wholesale markets.
Since 1986, MFGA has worked to increase Maui County flower growers' share of US wholesale and retail markets through marketing and promotional programs which brand Maui flowers as unique, exotic and exclusively Maui's.
MFGA's `ohana is made up of growers and shippers throughout Maui County. Our members' farms are concentrated in the warm rainforest of East Maui and Hana and in the cool Upcountry area of Kula.
Hawai`i's floriculture and nursery products industry is the second largest agriculture export in the state. Overall, the value of this industry continues to increase annually.
Maui's floriculture and nursery products industry is an integral element of Maui's economy, and community, cultivating a diversity of jobs, generating tax revenues, and producing a variety of crops for different local and export markets.
Maui County is an international exporter of specialty flowers and a major contributor to this agriculture export industry. Maui's flower industry significantly impacts Maui's economy by supporting Maui's flower growers, shippers, warehouses, box manufactures, printers, airlines, truckers, horticulture suppliers and flower shops.
To become a member of Maui Flower Growers' Association, please send the membership form to:
MFGA
176 Mehani Circle
Kihei, HI 96753
MFGA's GIFT BOX PROGRAM
MFGA's promotional efforts help the industry expand to additional markets and compete in the global marketplace. Maui Flower Growers' Association's Website capitalizes on niche marketing through the promotion of MFGA's Gift Box Program.
MFGA's Website showcases and sells Maui's unique tropical and protea flowers, potted orchids, leis and wreaths from MFGA's members. Consumers, retail florists and wholesalers from around the world utilize MFGA's Website. Consumers from all across the country order gift boxes of Maui grown unarranged tropical or protea flowers, or prearranged baskets, wreaths, leis and potted orchids from the MFGA Website. When considering sending flowers to your friends, love ones or associates please consider buying locally grown flowers from Maui's hard-working flower farmers.
The problems facing Maui's flower growers run parallel to the challenges facing Maui's Ag industry. These key challenges facing Maui's floriculture and nursery products industry include:
- High transportation costs
- Availability of affordable water for irrigation
- Competition with mainland and international commodity products
- Shortage of affordable farm workers and farm worker housing
Other challenges are unique to Maui's flower growing industry. One of the problems facing both new and established Maui flower growers is obtaining new plants and cuttings to expand their businesses.
In order to claim Maui's share of the world market, new cultivars must be obtained. MFGA researches new avenues for acquisition. MFGA works closely with the University of Hawai`i on acquisitions and establishing new rhizomes for eventual distribution to our members. MFGA helps Maui's flower farmers by bringing new protea cuttings, rhizomes, tropical plants and foliages to Maui, and by providing niche marketing to educate the world about Maui's unique floriculture.
With the support of Maui County's Office of Economic Development, Maui Flower Growers' Association continues to not only brand Maui flowers as unique within the world and to further Maui floriculture as a worldwide presence, MFGA continues to help address the challenges facing this important industry.
MAUI'S PROTEAS (Proteaceae)
Pronounced PRO-tee-uh, proteas rank among the most ancient plants in the world. Dating from fossils over 300 million years old, they number approximately 1,500 species and varieties.
Proteas are neither tropical nor native to Hawaii. The protea family is native to the Southern Hemisphere, primarily South Africa and Australia. In Maui, proteas grow on the cool volcanic slopes of Haleakala. Slightly acidic soils, local mountain breezes, and excellent natural drainage complete the requirements for optimum growing conditions. Protea flower heads are complex, but their make-up is similar to an artichoke.
Maui is the world center for protea research. Each year, Maui grown proteas set new world standards for superiority, rivaling the beauty and perfection of flowers from their original habitats.
Silky, feathery-fringed and furry, Maui's Minks, Pincushions, Bird's Nest Banksia and Kings and other fabulous proteas exhibit a dazzling array of shapes and sizes.
MAUI'S EXOTIC TROPICAL FLOWERS
Hawai`i's tropical flowers are one of the fastest-growing segments of Hawai`i's diversified agriculture. With warm temperatures, muted light intensity and consistent rainfall, the major growing areas for tropical flowers on Maui are the tropical rainforests of East Maui and Hana, Maui.
Introduced to Maui from around the world, Maui's exotic, tropical flowers are valued for their flamboyant shapes and glorious splashes of floral color. Tropicals incorporate three major groups of plants: heliconias, gingers, and tropical foliage. Heliconia, Ginger, Anthurium, Psitticorum, plus other exotics including Birds of Paradise, Calathia and wild jungle foliage are included in these fabulous flowers. Tropical flowers are absolutely beautiful. The unusual shapes and sizes, the luscious tropical patterns and spectacular colors simply dazzle the mind.
MAUI'S ORCHIDS
In the world of flowers, orchids are the undisputed aristocrats. They have always been a symbol of love, tenderness, joy and friendship. Exotic orchids arouse an intense fascination in those of us who, having once seen them, fall under their spell. Orchids have a magic that is part sorcery, part romance; setting them apart and above all other plants. Throughout the most recent centuries, men have obsessed, fought and even died in the search for new orchids.
Maui provides an ideal growing situation for orchids of all kinds. Dendrobium, Cattleya, Miltonia, Brassia, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis, Vanda and many other genera grow beautifully under the watchful eyes of the local orchid growers. Today, orchids are readily available and, when cared for properly, are surprisingly easy to grow. Orchids from Maui make wonderful, living gifts for yourself or someone special.
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