Coffee production in the 2008/9 crops may fall by 30% to 50% compared to the latest one that was biannually high. The crop loss will be a result of high incidence of rust that spreads over coffee plantations of producing regions in Minas Gerais. Rains haven’t brought a respite and this prevents an adequate treatment to the crops.
The forecasts announced by some cooperatives have been confirmed by Climatempo. "Coffee growers cannot apply agro pesticides to fight rust that develops with air humidity. Will it harm the coming production?” said meteorologist André Madeira. The latest coffee crop was biannually high (2006/07) with 42,5 million sacks (60kg).
The rain above historic average has occurred because of the El Niño effect. "We have a formation of warm air that, however, can’t move forward to the Northeast. This is holding a cold front in the Southeast region and it is causing a constant instability in coffee producing regions”, said the specialist.
However, he adds, the growing coffee regions should receive a respite from rain within the next days. “Until the next 19th there will be favourable conditions for the application of agro pesticides”, said the meteorologist."
Source: Viviane Monteiro - Gazeta Mercantil/Caderno C - Page. 8
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