MR. LAGERBERG EXAMINING CROP WITH PLANTATION WORKERS.




Initials DHC/V/JB/SC



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Background: IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 35 AND 40 PER CENT OF KENYA'S CURRENT COFFEE CROP, MAINSTAY OF THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY, WILL BE WIPED OUT BY COFFEE BERRY DISEASE. COFFEE MANAGER, CARL F. LAGERBERG, IN THE KIAMBU DISTRICT OF KENYA, CLAIMS THAT HE HAS LOST 92 PER CENT OF THIS YEAR'S CROP, AND WILL BE WIPED OUT WITHIN TWO YEARS UNLESS CONDITIONS IMPROVE.

KENYA'S COFFEE REVENUE IN THE 1967 CALENDAR YEAR IS ESTIMATED AT 16,215,000 KENYAN POUNDS (ABOUT 19 MILLIONS STERLING), COMPARED WITH A RECORD 18,622,000 KENYAN POUNDS (ABOUT 21.7 MILLIONS STERLING) IN 1966.

THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COFFEE BOARD OF KENYA, ISSUED THIS WEEK, SAYS THERE IS SOME HOPE FOR EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF THE BERRY DISEASE USING CHEMICALS AND IMPROVED SPRAYING AND PRUNING TECHNIQUES. BUT IT ADDS: "FOR THE PLANTER, LARGE OR SMALL, IT HAS BEEN A MOST UNHAPPY YEAR."
LAGERBERG WAS BORN IN KENYA OF SWEDISH PARENTS, WHO WERE ALSO COFFEE GROWERS. HE BEGAN TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF DISEASE SOME FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN KNOWN IN THE COUNTRY FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS.

ON THE YARA ESTATE, WHICH LAGERBERG MANAGES, COFFEE BUSHES IN SOME AREAS ARE BEING UPROOTED AND REPLACED WITH TEA PLANTING. LAGERBERG SAID THE MOVE HAD BECOME NECESSARY BECAUSE THERE WAS LITTLE HOPE OF SEEING A PROFIT FROM THE BUSHES FOR YEARS.

COFFEE BERRY DISEASE IS A FUNGUS CARRIED BY RAIN SPLASHES. IT SPREADS FROM BUSH TO BUSH IN A CONTINUING CHAIN REACTION.