coffee borer beetle

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

I just learned about the coffee borer beetle and its impact on the crop. I'm especially interested in its impact on my favorite bean, Kona. So now I'm wondering:

1) Has anyone tried a DNA analysis to identify source?

2) Are there historical records of how long it has been going on?

3) Could the blenders have brought the bug to Hawaii? (Not that anything can be done about it now.)

4) Is shipping green Kona from Hawaii to anywhere now more expensive due to anti-pest measures?

5) Has this pest increased the ratio of lower grade Kona used by blenders to make faux Kona?

I've seen the price of green Kona has gone up, a lot. My first thought was 'Oh Boy, business is good!' But now I see it is likely a shortage driven by this pest. Understand, I'm still buying green Kona and home roasting because that is the only way I know to get a good cuppa. But darn, prices like these will make it harder for newbies to learn how it tastes.

Bob Wilson

[Kona]

Aloha,

I can answer some of the questions Bob. 

On Sunday, January 19, 2014 9:49:39 PM UTC-10, bwilson4web wrote:

Hi,

I just learned about the coffee borer beetle and its impact on the crop. I'm especially interested in its impact on my favorite bean, Kona. So now I'm wondering:

1) Has anyone tried a DNA analysis to identify source?

 I don't quite know what you mean abut DNA analysis, though.  If you mean, did our Hawaii Department of Agriculture spend money to trace its DNA to see where it came from?  No.  First of all it CBB (coffee Berry Borer) is in all parts of the coffee world and Hawaii- being the most isolated piece of land on earth (Pretty amazing, but true!) finally got it.  In other parts of the coffee world, governments do  different things to combat it.  For example, Colombia gives our free Botanigard- the fungus that attacks the beetle. Secondly, our Department of Agriculture is not as aggressive as we farmers wish it would be.  Lack of money is the most cited reason.

2) Are there historical records of how long it has been going on?

We've documented it back to the fall of 2010. That was when its impact was first recorded. 

3) Could the blenders have brought the bug to Hawaii? (Not that anything can be done about it now.)

Who know how it got here.  But if people were importing green into Hawaii, as blenders do to mix with Kona, and not having it fumigated with methyl bromide or bringing it in partially roasted- (the Hawaii Law requires importers to do one of those methods), there could have been a couple of live bugs.  But it may have been here already, brought in by unknown methods and the systems shifted (drought etc.) enough for it to gain a stronghold. Like any exponential/geometric explosion.  New pest comes to town and  it does not have any natural enemies.

4) Is shipping green Kona from Hawaii to anywhere now more expensive due to anti-pest measures?

Yes, not the shipping but the cost of getting good green Koan beans is.  The labor cost of having one's farm sprayed with a naturally occurring fungus- contained in Botanigard-  once or twice a month is high.  The results however are fairly impressive. AND...Our lowest ever rainfall in 25 years was recorded in 2012 which made the current  2013-2014 crop, nataurally low.  Coupled with the Borer, it is not a high yielding year.  

5) Has this pest increased the ratio of lower grade Kona used by blenders to make faux Kona?

haha, I am sure the Blenders of faux Kona have not changed their recipe ratio- and  they are still using the name Kona when the bag has 90% of unknown origin.  The Blender has successfully thwarted any attempts for we farmers to enact any Legislation in our State Legislature to even name that 90%.  Pretty amazing in this world of truth-in-labeling.  Blenders have deep pockets because they are using only 10% Kona and making 90% profit off that.

I've seen the price of green Kona has gone up, a lot. My first thought was 'Oh Boy, business is good!' But now I see it is likely a shortage driven by this pest. Understand, I'm still buying green Kona and home roasting because that is the only way I know to get a good cuppa. But darn, prices like these will make it harder for newbies to learn how it tastes.

I attach a photo of Bob with an infested bean.  Thank fully we have lessened the overall damage, but yes, it has contributed to a higher price and with the coffee berry borer (CBB) established, we will always be fighting it..

Good questions Bob Wilson.

Thank you.

aloha,

Cea 

Bob Wilson

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

I recently sampled 'Grade B', roasted, whole beans:

• Taste great! . . . not roasted to my taste, still nothing is broken in the flavor
• Works in automated espresso machine - be sure to let the seller know you want 'the beans, not the ground'

The 'Grade B' beans are damaged by the coffee borer. They look funny but they grind and taste just as good. I have not done my roasting test, yet, but I suspect it won't be a problem. The reason is I am using a table-top, convection, toaster oven.

Fractured or smaller size beans have a higher surface area to volume ratio and are subject to more rapid increase in temperature when roasting. But I have the roaster set to the lowest temperature and longest time that achieves the roast level I want. This longer time reduces the dT/dt effects to reach the center of the bean. But this is an experiment not yet completed.

If I find too much difference, I may experiment with using a sieve to separate the bean fragments by size and developing roasting profiles based upon the different sizes. It is not that hard of a problem.

People are different and have different coffee taste preferences. In my case, I learned I am fonder of lower temperatures and longer roast times. Some call it 'baked beans' but I call it a good cuppa.

Bob Wilson

[Steve Freides]

Bob, what are DT/dt effects? I roast in a popcorn popper and often
roast quite quickly, as brief as 3:30 to 4:00 for a batch. Since I
roast on my front porch, it does take longer in the winter but, so
far, I cannot tell the difference between a roast that takes 6, 8 or
even 12 minutes in my popcorn popper from one that happens much more
quickly.

-S-

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