The government press agency has announced that more than RD$154 million is being allocated for the National Commission for Managing Coffee Roya to bring seeds from Brazil and Costa Rica that are resistant to the fungal leaf rust disease to replant coffee plantations in Bonao. Small-scale growers do not have the funds to replant their plantations and this new move comes after President Danilo Medina visited Bonao on 3 November 2013 and met with the management and members of the Independencia Coffee Growers Association (ASOCAIN) who asked for help to fight the disease, increase the size of their nurseries and to replant the plantations to increase income and improve the lives of their families.
The mountainous coffee growing area, which is around two million tareas (311,000 acres) in size, provides a livelihood for more than 50,000 Dominican families.
Coffee leaf rust is a disease that leads to dramatic collapse in the quality and quantity of the coffee crop. Local plant losses are estimated at more than 50%. It is caused by the Hemilea Vastatrix fungus and attacks the leaves that are responsible for the photosynthesis of the plant, leading to its premature death.
Consequently the coffee bean itself does not grow or mature sufficiently, weighs little and is of low quality, which means a reduced income for the grower.
The government has supported strategies to fight the disease with fungicides or by planting resistant coffee plants.
http://elnacional.com.do/gobierno-entrega-rd154-mm-para-enfrentar-roya-del-cafe-en-bonao/
http://presidencia.gob.do/comunicados/bonao-enfrenta-roya-del-caf%C3%A9-video