Of White Stem Borers And Droughts: Indian Agriculture Faces Multiple Challenges
Of White Stem Borers And Droughts: Indian Agriculture Faces Multiple Challenges
Indian farmers in Karnataka have faced a massive problem due to white stem borer betels. These winged creatures have threatened and destroyed entire crops of arabica coffee. The beetle boring into the bark of the plants now feeds on stems and it is thriving due to the warm weather and lack of rains. This has adversely impacted the production of coffee in Karnataka. Karnataka is the sixth largest coffee producer in the world.
In case the hot spell and scanty rains continue, our coffee crop could reach its lowest levels in 17 years when the harvest commences in October. This is not the only problem the scanty monsoon brings with it. As rainfall deficit continues to haunt India stoking fears of a massive drought, steps need to be taken to make the best of what is clearly the worst case scenario.
Global prices have already been rallying as far as coffee is concerned, because top exporter Brazil too is facing a drought. The damage caused by the beetles is so severe that farmers in Karnataka are uprooting entire coffee bushes to get rid of the white stem borers. Farmers are also pointing to the massive scale of the outbreak. One commented to media that earlier outbreaks only necessitated the uprooting of 5 to 10 plants per acre, whereas more than 200 plants per acre have been uprooted this time.
Lack of effective pesticide to control the white stem borers has caused the state-run Coffee Board to issue advisories to farmers to uproot and burn the infested plants. Scant rain is undoubtedly the reason behind the white stem borers. Heavy rainfalls and low temperatures are the reason why white stem borers were restricted from spreading amidst the crops. This year, southern Karnataka's Kodaku and Chikmagalur districts accounting for 2/3rd of the total coffee production are the recipients of scant rainfall from the commencement of the monsoon season on June 1st.
India's arabica coffee production could fall by as much as 20% in the year 2014 to 2015 to around 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, according to the spokesman of Ruchi Soya, a coffee exporter. This pegs Indian coffee output at the lowest levels since 1997/1998 according to the spokesperson.
The coffee production is not the only casualty this monsoon. With fall in rainfall levels, spirits are also plummeting for the Indian consumer as well. Food inflation could rise as the monsoon Gods are less than obliging this year. With the IMD hoping that July will prove better than June, El Nino has clearly wreaked its havoc.
With changes in policies to combat climate change, more effort is also being made by activists and environmental NGOs to spread awareness about the problem. The government is working towards lessening the blow of global warming and climate change. Efforts for intervention should centre around the Indian farmer who is most vulnerable to the damage that results due to the rainfall deficit. With enough effort, steps can be taken to tide over the crisis. Hopefully, better harvest awaits us next year.
