Guatemala Declares National Coffee Emergency - Page 2

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coryforsenate
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#11: Post by coryforsenate »

Yeah, it wouldn't hurt me if I had to pay an extra ten dollars a month for beans but somebody who just had their entire crop destroyed.....

It also bodes poorly for the future if some coffee farmers give up and move to other crops or quit farming altogether instead of risking riding out the coffee rust, which I wouldn't blame them. For us, coffee is a hobby and luxury, but it's their family's income or a big part of it.

IMAWriter
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Joined: 19 years ago

#12: Post by IMAWriter »

Bad news, and I sympathize with the farmers.
Did they see this coming earlier, and just didn't know how to fight it?

I think the organic farmers, for the sake of ALL coffee growers have to take aggressive measures, even if it includes chemicals.
A shame for all concerned.
Marshall, I'll read your posted links when I get a chance. Thanks for posting them.

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Marshall
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#13: Post by Marshall »

The ICO (International Coffee Organization) estimates 437,000 coffee jobs will be lost in Central America this year, and more next year. Migration, some of it permanent, is already under way.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-0 ... plans-jobs
Marshall
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IMAWriter
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#14: Post by IMAWriter »

by Marshall on Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:48 pm

The ICO (International Coffee Organization) estimates 437,000 coffee jobs will be lost in Central America this year, and more next year. Migration, some of it permanent, is already under way.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-0 ... plans-jobs
-------------------------


Oh my gosh. That work is probably all those folks have ever known.

Tzatziki
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#15: Post by Tzatziki »

Is this type of thing in danger of happening in Ethiopia and other countries where the coffee is more genetically diverse? Are certain cultivars much more susceptible?

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Marshall
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#16: Post by Marshall replying to Tzatziki »

As speakers like to say, "That's a great question!" Coffee rust began in Africa and only reached Central and South America in recent decades. Some cultivars are more resistant than others, but none completely so. For multiple reasons, the current infestation is not nearly as serious in Ethiopia as in Central America.

Excellent historical and scientific summary here: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/ ... eRust.aspx.

A report from this week's Coffee Rust Summit in Guatemala here: http://dailycoffeenews.com/2013/04/22/o ... st-summit/.

Some feel this is the swan song for organic coffee.
Marshall
Los Angeles

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LaDan
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#17: Post by LaDan »

Marshall wrote:The ICO (International Coffee Organization) estimates 437,000 coffee jobs will be lost in Central America this year, and more next year.
Oh boy. I felt more and more bad for the farmers as I read through this thread, but this above is heartbreaking. :(

Being this involved with the coffee hobby we get see a lot of photos of the farmers, their families, the hard lines on their faces and hands. You get to feel that you have a great sympathy and affection for them. This kind of news is really saddening.

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