Bug Infestation Causes Kona Coffee Shortage

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Seems like coffee drinkers like us are going to dig deeper into our pockets now.

Hawaii had just gotten infested with a bug that threatens its Kona coffee industry. The numbers aren’t there yet, considering that it’s a relatively new infection, but experience in Latin America and other countries say that it can cause up to 90% destruction of coffee bean farms.

This is very serious news. Like the Napa Valley and its importance to wine, Hawaii is also home to the Kona coffee bean. This is a high-class gourmet coffee that can easily fetch up to $50 per pound. That’s how expensive it is. And now there’s the news of it affecting coffee bean farms in Hawaii, then you could certainly feel the pressure already. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself paying far more for your Kona coffee cup.

With the region still suffering from a two-year drought that virtually wiped out their coffee farms. They are still on the recovery stage but now they have to deal with a new threat. The coffee cherry borer is a persistent pest in many coffee farms around the world. Not only do they reduce the quality or utterly destroy the beans, but they also have the ability to infect whole farms and their neighbors.

At present, agricultural officials and farmers are isolating infected farms and have set up quarantine systems for all Kona beans coming in and out of Hawaii. Pesticides and other pest control measures are still in development, but the need for it will surely speed up the pace.

As for you and me, we’d better wish them luck, because they’ll be needing lots of it. And don’t forget to start buying your Kona coffee now. Who knows, they might sell begin selling like diamonds the next time you buy.

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