coffee rust

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) on Friday estimated loss of 2.5 million bags of coffee of world production in 2012/13 season due to rust, a fungal disease that attacks the leaves of coffee trees. The losses could rise to about 4 million bags in crop year 2013/14, the organization added.

Coffee production in Peru in the current season 2012/13 will be lower than expected, since the fungus “roya” affects more than a third of the country’s crops. According to the National Coffee Board of the country, around 130 000 hectares, a total of 415 000 hectares, are infected with the disease.

The rust (roya) and other diseases harm in 20% of coffee production in Central America in the new coffee crop year 2012/13, according to estimates by the Central Organization of Coffee Exporters (Orceca).
"About 20% of the Central American coffee, which equates to approximately 4 million quintals (bags of 46 pounds, will be affected by rust and other diseases," said

After causing a state of agricultural emergency in Honduras and Costa Rica, a fungus that destroys coffee plants has already affected 70% of plantations in Guatemala type. The crisis with the largest export country of Guatemalan economy can lead to collapse. According to the local correspondent of the BBC, thousands of jobs are to be lost.
The fungus, which in addition to Costa Rica and Honduras will also be present in Panama and El Salvador, have been spread easily by a 2 º C increase in average temperature of the region.

With the year 2013 begining, two points deserve attention in world coffee production. The first is the sudden and sharp drop in prices, which are pressed by factors different than the scenario indicates fundamental, and the second is the difficulty experienced in coffee plantations of Central America - almost as a whole - due to bad weather, lack of investment and especially the attack of the fungus roya, which causes rust.

The president of the Association of Coffee Exporters of Honduras (Adecafeh), Omar Acosta, estimates that the coffee rust will cause the loss of more than 1.5 million bags of coffee in the country. The loss should range between 25% and 30% of the total harvest (5.6 million bags) and cause a reduction in foreign exchange of about $ 600 million.
The damage caused by rust affects producers, exporters and Honduran economy in general, because coffee is one of the engines that drive the economy of that country. In 2011/12 harvest revenue from exports reached U.S. $ 1,440 million.

The coffee rust fungus, commonly known as Roya, which has already caused losses of more than $ 100 million in Nicaragua, may also affect coffee production in Costa Rica, warned this week the Ministry of agriculture and Livestock (MAG). MAG experts estimate that 30% of the local coffee crop may be lost due to the fungus.