Colombia Coffee Under Attack as Insect Outbreak Spreads
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A dry spell with high temperatures in Colombia’s main coffee-producing region is spreading a borer-beetle infestation in the sought-after mild Arabica beans, according to farmers and the country’s coffee federation.
The outbreak of the fly-like insect known in Spanish as broca is forcing growers to sell to local buyers who pay less than export market prices, crimping profits, said Pedro Echeverria, a farmer in the northwestern province of Antioquia.