Nicaragua Coffee Crop to Miss Group Forecast on Rains, Fungus

 2013-01-10 13:09:55.636 GMT
 

By Marvin G. Perez
     Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) — In yr started Oct. 1, production may reach 1.23 million bags, below the initial forecast of 1.53 million projected at start of season, Luis Osorio, technical manager at the National Coffee Council, or Conacafe, said yesterday by telephone from Managua.
  * Strong rains during harvest prevented effective fertilization
  * Leaf rust, a fungus first detected in 1976, has spread to high-altitude growing areas, affecting quality and productivity
  * NOTE: Previous yr output was 1.77m bags, according to the International Coffee Organization in London
  * NOTE: A bag weighs 60 kg, or 132 lb