The Hindu Business Line : Rains bring hopes of better coffee crop

Chennai, July 8 Prospects of a better coffee crop have brightened with heavy rains lashing the growing areas in Karnataka. It has also given hopes of controlling the menace of white stem and berry borers in the coffee plants in view of monsoon setting in.

“Until two weeks ago, we were worried about the crop. But the estates have experienced heavy rains uniformly since last week giving us hope that overall the crop will be good,” said Mr Nishant R. Gurjer, a grower from the Kodagu region.

Other crops to gain

Mr Bose Mandanna, former Vice-Chairman of the Coffee Board, said the rains would also help other crops such as maize, paddy, bajra and sunflower in the region.

Most of the estates in the Kodagu region have received ample rains, while reservoirs in the region were fast filling up, grower sources said.

Board Projections

In its initial projections last month, the Coffee Board pegged the production for the next season starting October at a record 3.06 lakh tonnes (2.04 lakh tonnes robusta and 1.01 lakh tonnes arabica). The forecast was made after the growing regions received good pre-monsoon showers.

One of the main reasons why growers are happy due to the heavy rains is that it could make the white stem borer menace in the arabica and berry borer menace in robusta dormant.

“These pests need hot and humid climate. These rains will make them ineffective,” said a grower.

However, Mr Gurjer differed saying the pests lifecycle has changed and they have adopted to new weather conditions. “But the long dry spell in June has helped growers clear the backlog in spraying pesticides and other crop management operations,” he said.

Borers effects

The white stem borer effects the plant as a whole and the only solution is to pluck it out of the soil. In the case of the berry borer, it eats off the seed inside the fruit.

According to the Coffee Board, the berry borer menace was threatening nearly 13,000 hectares in Kodagu, Hassan and Chickmagalur.

Asked about the board’s projections, Mr Bose Mandanna said that production next season would be better than the current one.

Crucial period

“After many years we are witnessing such a good setting in the crop. It gives us hope of a better crop but we are not sure how much,” he said.

Mr Gurjer said, “The crop is definitely better than what we saw last year. But it will have to go through the critical period of July and August.”

While the current rains are seen as sufficient, growers are wary of excess rainfall.

If the growing area experiences excess rainfall in these two months, the crop could develop “wet foot”, a phenomenon that results in roots being damaged and berries dropping from the plant.

While coming out with the initial estimates, the Coffee Board said the final production would depend on how the berry borer would impact the crop and possibility of heavy rains during July-August.

This year’s coffee production has been pegged at 2.62 lakh tonnes (lt), down from initial estimates of 2.93 lt. It was pruned further to 2.76 lt as heavy rains damaged the crops.

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