At a time when the coffee growers were expecting bumper crops and a good price for coffee, the farmers were hit with stem borer disease, affecting the plants in Suntikoppa hobli.
The stem borer disease is spreading fast and the growers are apprehensive over a loss.
The growers have already uprooted and burnt over 1,000 plants in a majority of the plantations in the hobli.
Further, following the vagaries of nature, the coffee plants had blossomed early. Now, the beans are withering.
"Robusta and Arabica coffee is cultivated on 20 acres of land in Sridevi Estate. As preventive and remedial measures to control the spread of the pests, more than 1,500 plants have been cut to check further spread of the disease," said estate manager Lakshmana.
The growers have been depending on coffee in Shanthigeri, Balekadu, Athoor, Uluguli, Bettageri, Panya and Nakoor.
Further, the fluctuating price of coffee has also worried the growers for the last five to six years.
In the past, 50 kg of Arabica parchment used to fetch Rs 14,000, while Arabica cherry used to fetch Rs 6,000 and Robusta used to fetch Rs 4,500. However, now the price is fluctuating in the market.
"The stem borer disease has affected the plants, which in turn, will affect coffee production. Even the price has also declined. If the situation continues, we will incur a loss in coffee," said Lakshmana.
"The vagaries of nature, especially, the change in rain pattern has also affected coffee cultivation. Coffee beans have started withering. Amid all the vagaries of nature, the wild animal menace further aggravates the situation," said Deviprasad Kayarmar, a coffee grower from Horoor.
"Owing to heavy rain and cold weather, coffee beans have started withering. If we apply more chemicals to check the withering of beans, we do not get a good price in the market while selling coffee," said K P Jagannath from Panya.
Along with borer disease, the rise in the wages of labourers and the rise in the price of fertilisers also haunt the growers.