Starbucks Develops 6 Coffee Seed Varieties Resistant to Global Warming and Abnormal Climate Conditions

Development of New Varieties Resistant to Pests, Diseases, and Drought
Seed Distribution to Coffee Farms in 30 Countries Worldwide

Starbucks is drawing attention as it develops a new coffee variety with strong resilience against climate anomalies caused by global warming. Amid concerns over the decline in coffee bean production vulnerable to high temperatures, the demand for new varieties that better withstand temperature changes and pests is expected to grow.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 4th (local time), Starbucks recently announced the development of six new Arabica coffee seed varieties that are more resistant to abnormal weather, pests, and drought. Arabica is a popular variety that accounts for more than 70% of global coffee production.

This Arabica variety is popular for its smooth aroma and low acidity. It is mainly cultivated in its native regions of Ethiopia and Central and South America, and over 37,000 Starbucks stores worldwide use beans from this variety exclusively.

However, compared to another major variety, Robusta, Arabica beans have thinner skins, making them vulnerable to rising temperatures. The new varieties developed by Starbucks are known to have stronger resilience against such temperature increases.

Additionally, the new seeds developed by Starbucks have been engineered to have stronger resistance to 'Coffee Leaf Rust,' a type of fungus that affects coffee leaves. Typically, when Coffee Leaf Rust occurs, leaves wither and die, significantly reducing bean harvests and causing devastating damage to farms. This disease tends to occur when temperatures suddenly rise and is known to be highly contagious.

Furthermore, experimental results showed that the new seeds developed by Starbucks yielded higher harvests even when cultivated for shorter periods. There is hope that this new variety development will help address future declines in coffee production.

Farmers are welcoming Starbucks' development of the new variety. Sarada Krisnan, a coffee farm owner, told The Guardian, "Coffee Leaf Rust hit us near the end of last year's harvest, and if we had left it untreated, it would have taken five years before we could harvest again." She added, "It is important for researchers to introduce more varieties that are resilient to climate change."

Starbucks plans to distribute these new seedlings to about 30 coffee farms worldwide and has allowed the beans to be sold to buyers other than Starbucks. A Starbucks representative told The Guardian, "From beans to coffee cups, from farmers to customers, we have a responsibility to care for the entire supply chain and many people involved," and stated that they will continue to actively pursue the development of new varieties.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.