At present, Costa Rica Institute of Coffee (Instituto del Caf de Costa Rica, referred to Icafé) is working with Starbucks, a well-known multinational chain Cafe operator, to study the resistance of stem rust, anthracnose and "helosis disease" in order to identify coffee varieties with strong disease resistance and climate adaptability, with a view to improving the production and competitiveness of coffee in Costa Rica and promoting the sustainable development of coffee planting industry.
Costa Rica reported that Icafé and Starbucks on March 8 had signed an agreement to evaluate five coffee genotypes over the next four years to determine their yield, volume-weight conversion ratio and disease resistance. Investigators will also assess the size, texture, odor, taste, flavor of these coffee varieties, as well as their adaptability to climate change.
Existing coffee varieties are very sensitive to disease and bad weather, which has a great impact on Costa Rica's coffee production. Based on the same concerns, Icafé and Starbucks began cooperating many years ago to develop new coffee varieties that can adapt to different climates, soils and geopotentia heights in Costa Rica's coffee growing areas.
