Nandapur/Padua: Coffee plantations in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district, bordering Odisha’s Koraput district, are facing a severe infestation of the berry borer pest, causing alarm among farmers in Koraput’s Nandapur, Lamtaput and Pottangi blocks.
A 500-member team of experts from the Coffee Board, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University and other agencies is inspecting the affected fields to assess the extent of damage and identify solutions. Upendra Kumar Saha, a senior liaison officer from Koraput, is part of the team. The group Friday visited plantations in Dumuriguda block, specifically Gorapur and Kuredi panchayats, about 1.5 km from Nandapur’s Chatua panchayat. Saha said the berry borer, a tiny beetle, bores into ripening cherries, lays eggs and feeds on the fruit’s interior, causing significant damage.
The pest can destroy cherries from within, reduce bean quality and weight, and cause flowers to drop. It spreads through wind, birds and other animals, he added. Koraput coffee, known for its high quality due to the region’s climate and soil, has earned national and international recognition. About 1,000 hectares in Nandapur block and 2,759 hectares across Koraput’s remote areas, including those near the Andhra border, are under cultivation. The Coffee Board manages 369.77 hectares, while private farmers cultivate 778.11 hectares. Farmers in Nandapur’s Padua panchayat — including Sulochana, Manik Guntha, Hari Khara, Parshuram Guntha, Dasharath Guntha, Raghuram Guntha, Mangaraj Khara, Rajnath Sisa and Jinu Majhi — expressed concern as their plants are laden with flowers and fruit. They urged the Koraput administration, the Coffee Board and state authorities to take urgent measures to protect their crops.
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Sachidananda Swain, deputy director of the Coffee Board in Koraput, said no berry borer infestation has been reported in Koraput’s fields so far, but the proximity to affected areas in Andhra Pradesh raises concerns. “We are vigilant and in contact with the central survey team,” Swain said. “Once we receive their recommendations, we will coordinate with the district administration to implement treatment across all coffee fields in Koraput,” he added.
