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Elimination of coffee leaf rust in Latin America

Published: 2026-08-23 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/08/23, The US government plans to join hands with Texas researchers to step up the fight against fungi that have caused 1 billion dollars in damage to coffee trees in Latin America and the Caribbean and curb high coffee prices.

The US government plans to join hands with Texas researchers to step up the fight against fungi that have caused 1 billion dollars in damage to coffee trees in Latin America and the Caribbean and curb high coffee prices.

The leaf rust is caused by a yellow and orange fungus that has swept coffee plantations from Mexico to Peru over the past two years, endangering coffee bean production in Latin America and driving up prices.

Arabica coffee trees in Central America, which produce high-quality beans for espresso and connoisseur-grade specially prepared coffee, have been particularly hard hit, with growing demand in the United States and other parts of the world.

According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the disease endangers the livelihoods of about 500000 people who depend on the coffee industry, especially small farmers and seasonal workers.

International Development Agency spokesman Matthew Herrick) 9, said that in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and other countries, a large number of job losses may lead to unemployed coffee workers, more likely to be involved in the illegal drug trade and related violence.

The Agency for International Development said in a statement that it will join hands with the World Coffee Research Program of Texas Agricultural M University to launch a $5 million cooperation program to try to fight the fungus. The new plan was officially announced on the 19th.

"Coffee leaf rust is currently the worst in Latin American history and is estimated to reduce production by as much as 15% to 40% in the next few years," the Agency for International Development said.

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