Costa Rica News – 40% of the 2018-2019 coffee harvest in some parts of Costa Rica is at risk.
The Ministry of Agriculture is considering declaring this a very serious “phytosanitary emergency.” The State Phytosanitary Service and Icafé are carrying out reviews to make the declaration of emergency.
The issue is an increase in the incidence of a fungus due to increased rain over these months in Pérez Zeledón, Coto Brus and Turrialba. The fungus leads to stem rust in coffee plants.
The Institute of Coffee of Costa Rica has confirmed that the coffee plantations in these areas are infected and owners are urged to take preventative actions to keep it from spreading. Effects can be reversed if owners of coffee plantations take measures to fumigate.
The coffee harvests of these areas represent 25% of the national production. 85% of the crop from these plantations is exported. 98% of the producers are small coffee farmers, meaning the spreading of the fungus would economically hurt many families.
