Coffee Berry Borer: What it is and what damages it causes The Coffee Berry Borer or Coffee Borer Beetle (CBB) is an insect found around the world and prevalent in most… More > What Are The Damages That A Hurricane Can Cause? Female coffee berry borer on a coffee berry (about 1.6 to 1.9 mm long). For those of you who have not encountered a coffee berry borer in person, they are tiny beetles (approximately 2 millimeters long) hardly distinguishable to the naked eye. Member of Parliament for West Central St. Catherine, Dr. the Hon. The Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture gave a 29 million dollar grant to the industry in 2012 to help rehabilitate coffee cultivation. 58a Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 10 Read our, Get the Facts – Coronavirus and the New Academic Year, Get the Facts – The Indigent Housing Programme, Do’s and Don’ts in Communicating with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Back to School Health Tips: Properly Wash Your Hands. Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service. 58a Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 10 We selected 4 farms in the Blue Mountains within a 10-km2area: Clifton Mount (34 ha of coffee), Wallenford (22 ha), McGraham (6 ha), and Rowan’s Royale (0.6 ha). Coffee farmers from Bangor Ridge and surrounding communities, including Cherry Hill, Mt. It originated in Africa. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is providing J$29 million in emergency aid to combat the infestation of farms affected by the coffee berry borer. The insect has not yet been found on any other island. It is among the most harmful pests to coffee crops across the world where coffee is cultivated. As some farmers gave up in the lush Blue Mountains that tower over eastern Jamaica, their untended fields exacerbated a problem for those who remained by creating a … The Coffee berry borer (CBB) or Broca, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Figure 1), is the most serious and widespread insect pest of coffee. The coffee berry borer was inadvertently introduced to Jamaica in 1978 (Robinson & Mansingh 1999). The infestation in South Kona extends from north of Kainaliu to south of ‘Opihihale (Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture 2010)(Fig.2), which indicates that the insect has been present in the island for some time. KINGSTON: In an effort to rescue the Jamaican coffee sector, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is providing $29 million dollars in emergency aid to combat the infestation of farms affected by the coffee Berry Borer pest, and to improve nutrition. In the Americas, it is found in coffee plantations from Mexico to Brazil, including some countries in the Caribbean (Peggy Greb, D3529-1). Mr. Gentles said that some farmers have virtually abandoned their fields, thus providing a safe host for the borer, and this has allowed the population to increase dramatically. When the BROCAP trap was introduced in 2003, it was sold for $270 and has now been increased to about $300. In Jamaica, the recommended dose of endosulphan … “The trap on its own will not reduce the borer population to levels that we would like it to be,” he informed, urging farmers to follow the methods along with the use of the trap, to control the borer. Additionally, he advised farmers to do an infestation check and then apply a chemical as is necessary. He stated that farmers have been satisfied with the price as a significant number of them have bought traps. Adult female coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) on a green coffee bean. Jamaica’s Senator Norman Grant says that the country’s failure to adequately address coffee berry borer infestation and coffee leaf rust disease during the years when demand for coffee on the global market was in decline could see the local industry missing out on some US$10 million in potential earnings for the crop year 2013-14. In August 2010, the coffee berry borer was found in South Kona, Island of Hawai‘i, and its identity was confirmed by Dr. Natalia J. Vandenberg (Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA-ARS). He stated that “the borer survives and reproduces only in the coffee fruits,” and once there are no fruits, their survival will be lowered. Infestations of the coffee-dwelling pests have the potential to wipe out substantial segments of crops, year after year. Most other coffee regions have this pest, and have developed various methods for getting rid of it. Coffee plants produce clusters of cream-white flowers and a fruit, commonly referred to as a berry, which normally possesses two seeds. The coffee borer beetle, an invasive species originally from central Africa, was confirmed in a residential area in Kalaheo on Aug. 6. The Minister visited the community on December 20. In a study in Jamaica, birds were excluded from one coffee plantation and resulted in a 70% increase in the proportion of coffee fruits infected by the Coffee Berry Borer, an insect pest species. Jamaica, W.I, Tel: The Coffee Berry Borer originated in East Africa and was first reported in 1867. Recent increasing demand, especially from Asian markets, has coincided with a significant decrease in production resulting from a leaf rust epidemic and a berry borer infestation. All Rights Reserved. Some farmers have reported an increase in the prevalence of the pest, as well as its occurrence at altitudes once absent, causing economic losses to crop farmers. Photo by Peggy Greb. Jamaica, W.I, Tel: He said the Task Force will have as its primary duty, the containment of the pest by way of public awareness, training and public meetings, in collaboration with the coffee dealers. Returning Residents | Your Safety and Security Guide to Resettling in Jamaica, Returning Residents | Returning Citizens’ Information Guide, Jamaicans Overseas & Consular Affairs Department, Eligibility and Basic Provisions for Returning Resident Status, Administrative Assistant - Office Management, Writer/Producer/Presenter - Radio Department, Courtney Williams Appointed New Head of NATFATIP, CPFSA Renews Call for Parents/Guardians to Seek Help with Raising their Children, NHT Contributions Refund Application Available Online Only, Youth Mentoring Ministry Donates Care Packages To St. Ann Children, Safety Measures to Implement for Christmas, Ministry of Justice Encourages People to use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR’s), Do Not Use Sanitisers Near Open Flames – JFB. The Minister visited the community on December 20. The Coffee Industry of Jamaica is currently facing a serious challenge in the field with a very high level of Berry Borer Pest infestation. What Are The Damages That A Hurricane Can Cause? There are five simple but effective measures you can take to protect your coffee and its quality. (Peggy Greb, D3530-1). The money will … Member of Parliament for West Central St. Catherine, Dr. the Hon. The Coffee Berry Borer is a small beetle native to Africa and currently affecting coffee crops in more than seventy countries, mostly in Latin America. THE Government is to invest $9 million into the Berry Borer Task Force to help start work to control the tiny beetles that have been wreaking havoc on coffee farms across the island. 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