The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – At the XXVIII International Coffee Week (Sintercafé) conference in Costa Rica, experts claimed that the future of coffee in Latin America is to exploit their genetic varieties to be able to survive in harsh environments.
Coffee production is now being threatened by climate change and diseases like rust fungus and “cock eye”, so there is a need to find a solution to secure the future of coffee farms.
“We do not know if next year is going to be dry or wet, we do not know which fungus will attack us, but for all of that we need to develop resistant plants and varieties that tackle these problems, and are thus more productive,” told the President of the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAF), Ronald Peters to EFE.
According to the manager of operations in El Salvador ECOM Group, Ernesto Telles, the challenges ahead are in producing new coffee varieties, but also for Latin American governments to provide financial support to diversify the plant.
The Salvadoran explained that incentives allow people in rural areas to remain on their land and those governments must have “clear honest policies” to develop a country.
In order to coordinate actions to address the threats of climate change and disease, around 500 producers, roasters, importers and buyers are discussing ideas and projects to improve the economy and quality of the grain, under the Sintercafe event which will end on Saturday.
Coffee farmers and businessmen from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, UK, USA, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica are all present to discuss industry challenges. (EFE)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica