Coffee Berry Borer Pest Threatens Kona Coffee Crop - Quarantine Will Likely Be In Effect for at Least One Year
On Tuesday, November 23 the Hawaii State Board of Agriculture approved two quarantine zones on the Big Island including Kona Coffee Country.
The quarantine of Kona Coffee has significant impact on Kona coffee farms and potentially on the reputation of this fine world gourmet coffee including Kona Peaberry Coffee.
A Kona coffee quarantine is intended, however, to protect the brand and the crop and prevent and slow the spread of the Coffee Berry Borer pest which is one of the world’s most damaging coffee pests.
The quarantine of Kona coffee includes any Kona coffee plants or plant parts as well as green Kona coffee beans (unroasted beans). Also quarantined are the bags that are used to transport the coffee.
The Board of Agriculture established an Emergency Interim Rule which will take effect once the new rule is published in newspapers which is expected to take just a few days. The quarantine of Kona Coffee will likely remain in effect for one year.
Last week the Hawaii State Advisory Committee on Plants & Animals received testimony from the public including Kona coffee farmers and other Hawaii coffee farmers. The Advisory Committee concluded that an emergency situation currently exists and recommended the quarantine to the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, which met yesterday and followed the Advisory recommendation.
The primary quarantine zone to control the Coffee Berry Borer spans from Manuka State Park to Kaloko in South Kona. A secondary zone encompasses the whole of the Big Island.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture has also approved a variety of mitigation and treatment methods - including heat treatment and fumigation - which may be implemented to allow green coffee beans to be transported outside of the quarantine zone. Some of these methods are suitable for organic Kona coffee.
The damage caused by the dreaded Coffee Berry Borer begins with the small beetle laying eggs inside the coffee cherry (fruit) while it is still on the plant ripening. Soon the beetle eggs form into larva and start to feed on the coffee bean which is the pit of the coffee cherry.
The Coffee Berry Borer invasion of the fruit and bean may also give way to other invaders such as fungal and bacterial damage. The Coffee Berry Borer currently affects more than seventy countries, most of which are in Latin America.
Also see:
Coffee Berry Borer Beetle in Kona - Fifteen New Facts
Facts About the Kona Coffee Borer Beetle Quarantine
Coffee Borer Beetle Causes Quarantine of Kona Coffee
Hawaii Kona Coffee Quarantine Affect Premier Crop
The Top Ten Coffees in the World
Explore the World of Premium Gourmet Coffee
For excellent coffee knowledge see All About Coffee for information about coffee plants and coffee cherry and the world’s finest gourmet coffee beans.
Learn about coffee harvesting, processing, grading, roasting, grinding, packaging, storing, brewing as well as the coffee beverage itself. Also covered is Organic Coffee, Fair Trade Coffee, Bird Friendly Coffee and Shade-Grown Coffee.
Espresso Brewing Tips
Tips on espresso brewing can be read about beginning with Pulling A Perfect Espresso Shot and Steaming and Frothing Milk and then reading the Barista Guide to Perfect Lattes and Cappuccinos which includes information about Espresso Drink Recipes.
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