The efforts to rid the country of “coffee rust” virus are showing some results. The virus has affected over 80% of the country’s coffee plantations. According to Dominican Coffee Council president Jose Fermin Nunez, the work being done in over 11,000 coffee farms so far has led to a 17% decrease in the appearance of the rust virus. The measures include cleaning up the farms, replanting with new virus resistant varieties and the application of proper agrochemicals to prevent propagation. Despite the severity of the latest attack by the virus, 42% of the farms, according to El Nuevo Diario, showed a significant reduction in the effects of the rust.
www.elcaribe.com.do/2013/08/12/roya-del-cafeto