Dreaded coffee pest is here

Weekender

COFFEE berry borer (CBB) is a small black beetle measuring between 1.5-18 mm long. The female beetle bores into young and ripe coffee berries, generally through the navel (tip) region. The adult female lays between 30-120 eggs (average 50) in the tunnel bored into individual mature coffee beans. The grubs (larvae) feed on the bean, making small holes. It takes about 25 to 35 days for complete development from egg to adult. All life stages can be found within the coffee bean.
The juvenile stages last for 4 (eggs), 15 (larva) and 7 (pupa) days, respectively at 27°C. Mating normally takes place inside the berries and the female is capable of laying eggs in 3-4 days after emergence. On average, the fertilized female lives up to 157 days and seeks out other fresh berries for oviposition. Males may live for 20 to 28 days. In one year, 5-8 generations of CBB are produced, giving rise to a massive build-up of progeny, depending on the climate and availability of coffee cherries.
It has been a month since the serious pest of the coffee industry was first detected in Banz, Jiwaka.
On the 21st of February this year, a farmer noticed some defect beans while drying his parchment coffee. He observed that from his earlier harvest, he identified some defects, and during his second harvest he noticed the same problem with his parchment, so decided to take in samples to the Coffee Industry Corporation’s (CIC) Simbu provincial office.
The samples were then rushed down to CIC’s research station in Aiyura, Eastern Highlands, for a lab test to ascertain the cause of defects.
Further tests using a microscope to see the morphological features of the beetles in the beans were done and all matched the features of CBB. Using a DSLR camera in the CBB imaging lab, pictures were taken for a second opinion and identification of the beetle by experts at the University of Florida in the United States. The experts reverted with a positive answer—yes it was CBB!
PNG together with Nepal have been out of the blacklist of countries that are already invaded by CBB until February 2017 when CBB was discovered in the heart of Jiwaka –a province dominated by coffee.
About four weeks ago, an emergency trip was organized by the CIC and NAQIA (National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority) to confirm and establish the spread of the CBB in Banz.
There, the team witnessed firsthand damage caused by CBB. Ethanol and Brocap traps were placed around the area near the farmer’s garden and a physical inspection was also made to establish CBB trademark.
To date, a total of 26 sites along the Banz area have showed early infestation of CBB, including four more sites in Eastern Highlands.
Concerns have been raised by various groups and farmers as to how the pest entered the country unknowingly. Authorities are currently working around the clock, leaving no stone unturned to contain the spread into other major producing provinces.
Monpi coffee exports general managers, Chris Anders, said all exporters were very concerned and are keen to work with CIC to best manage the problem.
“I would suggest that this is a time for everyone in the Industry to work together and try to control the spread. Monpi has our SMS division with about thirty field officers. We are willing to look at how we are able to assist. We need to get information out to the farmers and show them what is required.”
CIC Principal Entomologist Dr Nelson Simbiken says that once CBB gets into a country, it is there to stay. “We are currently in alert stage to define the extent of spread and from there can we firm up a short term plan for the industry.” A delimiting survey was conducted in Banz two weeks ago and the technical team have moved into Simbu, Enga, Hela and Southern Highlands to conduct further surveys.
Dr Simbiken said from the preliminary findings, the spread has been concentrated around the Banz area. “The team will continue on with the set-up of more traps around the infected coffee gardens while other control measures are being finalised.”
A team of coffee inspectors have been also deployed to Jiwaka to visit coffee factories to investigate their processes particularly with wet cherry processing.
Another team has begun surveys this week in the Asaro area of Eastern Highlands where the pest was also detected in Giregire plantation and at the Asaro station.
At this point in time, farmers are advised to report CBB cases immediately to CIC or NAQIA offices. Awareness exercises have begun two weeks ago in the upper Highlands using radio stations, educational materials and also going into communities affected and those in the vicinity of the affected areas.
Speaking at a recent press conference in Port Moresby, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll highlighted that it was an unfortunate situation as it was suspected the pest could have been brought in from the transfer of coffee parchments from West Sepik to the affected provinces or through companies who have brought some coffee seeds under the radar to trial plant these new type of coffee in PNG.
Tomscoll added that the coffee industry in PNG is the lifeline of directly 3.5 million people.
“Their employment, business and income come from growing and trading coffee. Another 1 million people benefit from the industry through providing logistical and support services along the supply and market chain.”
He reassured the industry that the government authorities were doing everything to possible to manage the pest.
He highlighted that it was a delicate situation where the composition of the disease needed to be understood well and the extent of the spread of the disease so that response plans could be designed accordingly and ensure logistics and funding are correctly estimated.
The Minister said it is in the best interest of the government to protect the industry and an estimate of between K50m-K100m would be needed as government support to address the issue on the ground.
The repercussions are great as the pest has the capacity to destroy up to 40 percent of coffee volume with the industry likely to lose up to K200m-K300m annually in foreign exchange earnings if it is not contained or managed well.
The industry generates an average of PGK500 million in foreign exchange but in 2016, the industry generated PGK650 million. Almost 70 per cent of this income is spread to all farmers across PNG. In the year 2016, about PGK455 million was received by our farmers in the rural areas.
CIC chief executive officer Charles Dambui reaffirmed to conduct more awareness on the economic impact of the pest if not contained at a manageable level of infestation.
“Most smallholder coffee farmers are not aware of the seriousness of CBB pest and the serious damage it causes to the coffee berries. Coffee farmers are to be made aware of the pest in terms of its life cycle, how it damages the coffee berries, how it is spread and measures to deal with it.”
The general awareness has initially started in the highlands provinces, beginning with Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands, and will continue into the rest of the highlands provinces and other provinces as well.
“We are mindful, that once CBB enters a country, it is there to stay and the coffee industry must develop plans to live with it through research and development programs to improve coffee productivity and quality.”
Dambui said PNG would not be an exception, and CIC anticipates to refocus its extension efforts including research and development in light of the incursion. He added that delimiting surveys will continue into six major coffee growing provinces, namely: Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Simbu, Jiwaka, Enga and Southern Highlands including MOMASE, New Guinea Islands and Southern regions.
He said based on the findings from these delimiting surveys, CIC and NAQIA would be able to know the extent of spread including the infestation level and estimated economic loses.
“Our biggest challenge would be to train our farmers to apply integrated pest management strategy. Many of our farmers are farming coffee on a casual basis, meaning they put in their labour and time as and when they want to. This attitude has to be changed for an effective integrated pest management system to work.”
“In the short term, we will be continuing with awareness and surveys, control movement of unprocessed coffees and apply management practices such as cultural pruning and cherry stripping after every main harvest to ensure we do not create an environment for the pest to breed and multiply.”
Dambui is appealing to all partners and stakeholders to work together and assist in minimising probable economic loss for all actors along the coffee value chain.
Please contact the PNG Coffee Industry Research and Growers Services Division immediately on 537 3511, Hotline 79455701, Industry Regulations 532 2466, Hotline 73716261, Farmer training and Extension Hotline 79455714, if you suspect CBB in your area.