Nandpur /15th Sept 2025: The coffee cultivation areas in Koraput district and the neighboring Krishna, East Godavari (KRI, ASR) districts of Andhra Pradesh are facing a serious threat from a pest called the ‘Berry Borer’ on coffee plants. A special 500-member team comprising experts from the Central Coffee Board, officials from Andhra Agricultural University, and six cooperating departments visited the coffee plantations on Friday. They are investigating the reasons for the pest infestation, estimating the damage, and searching for solutions to control it.
Among this team is Koraput’s SLO (Senior Level Officer) Upendra Kumar Saha. Coffee farmers in Nandpur, Lamtaput, and Pattangi blocks have expressed their anxiety about this pest.
The inspection team on Friday surveyed coffee plantations in Chatuwa Panchayat of Nandpur block, located just 1.5 km from Andhra’s Dumuriguda block. They also inspected coffee gardens in Gorapur and Kuredi Panchayats under the same block, which have been infected by the berry borer pest. According to SLO Saha, this pest causes widespread damage to coffee cultivation. When the coffee fruit is slightly ripe, the small insect bores into the fruit and lays eggs for about 20 days. The larvae feed inside the fruit, which subsequently damages the fruit internally, causing the flowers to drop. It spreads to other fruits, reducing their quality and weight. The pest can fly with the wind and can be spread to other places by birds and animals.
According to the information, coffee trees are flowering and fruiting on 1,000 hectares of land in Nandpur block. In the district’s remote areas, coffee is cultivated on 2,759 hectares.
Coffee growers in Koraput district are worried about the berry borer pest. Officially, the Coffee Board maintains coffee plantations on 369.77 hectares, while farmers cultivate coffee on 778.11 hectares, which may be affected by this pest, according to experts and farmers. In Nandpur block, villages like Kasampada in Padua Panchayat, Sulochana, Manik Guntha, Hari Khara, Parshuram Guntha, Dasharath Gunda, Raghuram Gunda, Mangaraj Khara, Rajnath Sisa, and Jinu Majhi have reported pest infestation and expressed concern.
The district administration, central, state, and district coffee board authorities have been requested to take measures to protect plantations from pest infestation. In this regard, Koraput Coffee Board Deputy Director Sachidananda Swain, after noticing the pest infestation in Andhra coffee plants, has received this information. Due to the presence of fruiting coffee plants in the border areas of the district, there is fear of pest spread. However, so far, no infestation has been reported in Koraput’s coffee gardens. They are staying alert and maintaining communication with the central survey team, hoping to get pest control methods soon. Once information is received, the District Collector will be notified to ensure treatment of all coffee plantations.