Coffee rust problem attacked
As with all plants, coffee is susceptible to certain diseases and one familiar problem has caused something of a problem recently, as reported in Dominican Today.
It transpires that there is a plague of coffee rust which is affecting many coffee plants and so drastic action is necessary.
What is coffee rust?
It is a disease which is also known as coffee leaf rust. It can be a huge problem and was responsible for the destruction of Brazil’s coffee crop back in 1970.
The disease is spread by the rain and the wind, which take spores from lesions on the underside of the plant. It is a disease which affects most coffee growing countries.
Today, the common way to avoid the disease is to plant disease resistant coffee.
Because of the recent problems, the Ministry of Agriculture has stepped in and has agreed to refurbish almost 19,000 hectares of the plants in the south.
It is hoped that this will boost production and also jobs in the area.
There is also intended to be an ongoing programme to monitor the farms and to introduce new techniques to help the plants.
The programme will look at issues such as fertilization, shade management, caring for the plants through weeding and pruning and the use of chemicals.
The problem is that these plague resistant varieties are not good in the cup. My country, El Salvador, has been severely attacked by coffee rust this year. It is bad! And the easiest solution people have found is to plant other varieties, Catimors or "Cuscatlecos", very productive, resistant to plagues and diseases, but low quality in their taste, to substitute Borbón, Pacas and other arábica varieties which produce outstanding specialty coffees! The quality of our coffees will surely be affected by this plague if people make the switch to these varieties. It is a very controversial issue.