Coffee rust is here to stay, Guatemala growers told

Guatemalan coffee growers, devastated by the fungus known as coffee rust, or roya, that rots the leaves of coffee plants, must “learn to live” with the killer disease.

That’s the sad conclusion of Julio Ligorría, Guatemala’s ambassador to the United States.

“Roya in Guatemala is here to stay, and the coffee growers need to learn to live with it and prevent it yearly by applying fungicides in a timely manner,” Ligorría said. “Given that most coffee producers are micro- and small-sized, it is more difficult to control and make sure all of them do their best effort. That is why in some cases Anacafé recommends rust-resistant varieties.”

Source: Tico Times