Blog Detail
The Last of Sugar
The End of an Era
The “end of an era,” yesterday morning the last load of harvested sugar cane was ceremoniously unloaded at the Puunene mill. Workers, retirees, officials and the media gathered to say goodbye to the 145 year old sugar company, the last one in the state.
The iconic smoke stacks which served as a landmark and weather vane to many will stop puffing smoke this weekend. HC&S and the Hawaiian sugar industry as a whole have shaped Maui and the rest of the state into what it is today and will leave behind a tremendous legacy.
The entire Maui community is anxious to see what the future hold for the 36,000 acres of fields HC&S will be leaving behind as well as the mill and associated equipment. At the end of the program, general manager, Rick Volner said nothing is for certain yet, but many people are working diligently to ensure the best possible outcome for the company and the community.