It is now estimated that 70-80% of its coffee crops are affected by the disease. This is among the highest rates throughout Central America. The government of Guatemala declared a state of emergency in 2013. “Roya” is affecting everyone involved in the coffee distribution chain — from the farmers working in the fields, to the rich coffee finca owners. Even Starbucks is not immune from this growing menace. Coffee harvests of Guatemalan plantations have dropped to 1/20th of what they used to be in recent years. The Guatemalan coffee industry ranks #10 in the world producing 3,400,000 – 60 kilos bags from 276,500 hectares of valuable and irreplaceable farmland. Mr. Jean Ekobo, President/CEO of BioNovelus, Inc. is traveling to Guatemala to personally oversee the launch of several CR-10 tests. While there, he will also meet with executives of the World Coffee Research Institute in Guatemala City, and with the owner of Soluagro, a Central America leader in the coffee and food packaging. Source: comunicaffe.com/bio-fungicide-cr-10-has-joined-the-coffee-rust-battle-in-guatemala/
