Major producers of Arabica coffee claim that rust is under control

The rust, a fungal disease that recently dropped to 30% of some coffee plantations of Andean countries and Central America, should not disturb the production of Arabica mild this season, said officials and experts during the ICO (International Coffee Organization) conference in Belo Horizonte.
Colombia and Mexico, two major producers in the region, should not suffer significant losses for the disease that can destroy entire crops if not properly controlled by spraying, making green fruits fall from the trees.
"Our production should be similar to last year, about 10 million bags, without many losses due to rust," said Juan Esteban Orduz, president of the Federation of Colombian Coffee. Stressing that the production of washed Arabica from Colombia, important supplier to the U.S., is expected to grow steadily over the coming years, as new plant varieties resistant to rust reach productive age.
The Andean producer has struggled to return to their typical annual crop of 10 million or 11 million bags, with an aggressive replacement program for trees varieties more resistant to rust.
"The technical assistance from the government to our 563.000 coffee farms has limited the impact of rust," he explained, adding that the biggest challenge to the producers was the fall in coffee prices.
Coffee prices reference fell 30% compared to last year. Juan Orduz recalled that producers gained half of what they did with coffee in 2011, when prices were briefly above $ 3 per pound.
Cristobal Pozos, Mexican representative at the ICO conference in Minas Gerais, the largest coffee producing state of Brazil, also said that the rust would have little impact on the country's production season, scheduled for 6 million bags. Other smaller producers, however, were not as fortunate.
The deputy minister of Agriculture of Costa Rica, Xinia Chaves Quiros, estimates that the potential of 1,87 million bags will be reduced by 200.000 to 400.000 bags, due to the rust. The country produces some of the most expensive varieties of Arabica coffee in Central America.
Source: Revista Cafeicultura