Poor farming methods hampering coffee yields Nairobi The coffee industry is struggling to realise its full production potential because growers, especially the small-holders, are not embracing proper crop husbandry practices, a new study has revealed. This situation  has exposed the industry even to higher risks as diseases such as Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) continued to proliferate at alarming levels. The study falls under the second phase of the Kenya Coffee Data Collection and Information Dissemination Project over seen by the Trade and Industry ministry with support from the World Bank and managed by a leading consulting firm, Deloitte and Touche. A notable finding from the research is that cases of CBD have been on the rise with prevalence rates climbing to about 36 per cent against last year’s level of 30 per cent— a trend analysts blamed on erratic weather patterns that have been experienced over the production season. Notable areas affected by the berry disease included Embu, Kirinyaga and Nyeri. Researchers say a cold wet spell alternating with warm moist periods is likely to increase the threat of the berry disease even though protection measures such as spraying using Captafol and copper-based fungicides  could mitigate its effects. Producers in Kenya however have access to a special coffee hybrid known as the Ruiru 11 which is highly resistant to both CBD and CLR. “Coffee Leaf Rust was also recorded in active state in virtually all coffee growing areas except Machakos and Makueni. The disease is apparently becoming a major factor and may constrain coffee production and quality it not contained,” the study report warned. Researchers said lack of access to credit facilities has been the major drawback towards the implementation of sound husbandry practices but expressed optimism that the recently launched Coffee Development Fund (CoDF) could redress the constraint. Overall the study estimates that the country will produce 54,000 metric tonnes of coffee in the 2007/08 crop season with small-holders and estates churning in 33,500 metric tonnes and 20,500 metric tonnes respectively Source: Business DailyAfrica [tags]coffee, coffee prices, coffee yields, coffee industry, coffee data, Africa coffee, Kenya coffee[/tags]

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