Bhubaneswar, 8th Oct 2025: : Coffee growers in Koraput are fearful of a foreign pest. This pest, known as the “Coffee Berry Borer,” has the scientific name Hypothenemus hampei. This small black beetle enters the coffee fruit (berry) and feeds inside, causing the fruit to rot from within. This reduces the quality of the coffee.
The pest has spread in Andhra Pradesh up to about 10 to 15 kilometers from the Koraput district border. The Andhra government has issued a high alert in the affected areas and arranged compensation for farmers. However, there are allegations that the Koraput district administration is silent on the issue.
This pest is causing widespread damage in the Araku region of Andhra Pradesh, damaging coffee cultivation on many acres. Andhra Pradesh has deployed experts from the Central Coffee Board, senior specialists from Andhra Agricultural University, and about 500 people from various organizations to control and destroy the pest in their areas to prevent its spread.
Farmers in the Patangi, Nandapur, and Lamtaput areas of Koraput district are worried because neither the Odisha government nor the Koraput administration has taken any steps. This has caused serious dissatisfaction among the farming community. Farmers like Sulochana Guntha, Manik Guntha, Hari Khara, Parshuram Guntha, Dashrath Guntha, Mangaraj Khara, Raghuram Guntha, and Rajanath Sisada have demanded government protection from the pest.
Key Points:
Around 2,759 hectares of land in the district are under coffee cultivation, with most located near the Andhra-Odisha border.
Upendra Prasav Saha, Senior Liaison Officer (SAO) of the Coffee Board, says the pest has not yet spread in Koraput district. However, it has been found about 10 km inside Andhra’s Araku region near the border. He participated in the teams appointed by the Andhra government for control measures.
Currently, there is no cause for alarm in Odisha, but farmers in the border areas have been cautioned to report any signs of infestation immediately.
According to pest expert Balram Sahu, the Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei) was first identified around 1900 in Central and Western Africa. Later, it spread to coffee-growing regions of America, Asia, and other coffee-producing countries worldwide. It is considered the most destructive pest to coffee crops globally.
In India, it was first detected in 1990 in Gudalur area of Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu. Trees affected by this pest must be destroyed immediately, or else the pest will spread to other trees. Coffee fruits should not be harvested from infested trees. Farmers should use traps or pesticides as recommended by the government to control the pest. Awareness and early action can save the crop, says Mr. Sahu.
Despite the complaints, there has been no response from the Deputy Director of Agriculture in Koraput district, Sudam Bishwal.
No responses yet