186ha of coffee farms infected with coffee borer

Business

By Shirley Mauludu
THE Coffee Industry Corporation  (CIC) says 186.7 hectares of coffee farms have been infected with the coffee berry borer in Eastern Highlands.
This is expected to increase once more information is made available, according to chief executive officer Charles Dambui.
He said five teams were working in the infected Asaro assisted by farmers and locals.
Around 10 per cent of the infected gardens have been rehabilitated and CIC expects to complete the other 90 per cent in the coming months. “A preliminary report is expected to be given by our technical team for rehabilitation work in Jiwaka,” Dambui said.
He said while the spread in Jiwaka was static, there has been a gradual increase in Eastern Highlands – from the initial 14 gardens to now more than 70. The coffee farms vary in size.
He said the identification of the level of infestation in infected sites in each garden had begun by a survey team.
Manager farmer training and extension Matei Labun said gardens infested with CBB were mainly smallholders of up to five hectares, a few block holders (6-20ha) and plantations (20-plus ha).
“Farmer education with the use of visual aids has raised the level of awareness triggering concern by farmers and others who attended the awareness meetings carried out by the technical team in the past couple of months.”
CIC general manager for Research Dr Mark Kenny said 45,589 trees had been pruned in highly-infested sites to destroy all remaining borer food source.