Borer hits coffee plantations

The white stem borer pest has hit coffee plantations thereby slowing down exports and eroding farm income over the last two years, an official of the United Planters' Association of South India has said.

The Arabica variety of coffee has been particularly damaged, the official said.

About 100,000 coffee trees had to be uprooted after the pest first afflicted coffee growing regions in 2001, he said.

While the exact details of the damages suffered over the last two years are still being worked out, the official said, "It will take at least 6-8 years to tide over the loss due to the pest."

"Large investments are required to plant new trees, replacing ones which were felled. New trees take about six years to bear fruits," the official said.

Last year, the Coffee Board doled out a Rs 30 crore subsidy to planters, who had to chop infected trees to prevent further spread of the disease.

However, the board discontinued the subsidy as it found it difficult to continue financial support with the number of infected trees rapidly expanding, the official said.

"We are now extremely concerned about the white stem borer pest as coffee trees are even more prone to this pest during summer," the official said.

"We have already lost a good deal of output due to the pest last year and if immediate steps are not taken, coffee production and exports will be badly affected this year as well," the official said.

The country exported 194,000 tonne coffee in last financial year, according to a revised official estimate. The earlier estimate was 225,000 tonne. In 2003-04, the exports were at 198,000 tonne.

The nearly 14% downward revision in coffee export during 2004-05 (April-March) is generally attributed to high cost of production but exports have decelerated largely due to the white borer pest, the official said.

The decline in exports is an alarm bell for the domestic coffee sector as the country sells 80% of its output in the international market, the official said.

Last month, the government announced a Rs 48 lakh package for coffee planters.

Twice bitten

• About 100,000 coffee trees had to be uprooted after the pest first afflicted coffee growing regions in 2001
• Though exact details of the damages in last two years are still being worked out, it will take at least 6-8 years to tide over the loss due to the pest