Brazil's Coffee Production to Reach 47.54 Million Bags This Year

Brazil's National Supply Company (Conab) announced at the opening of International Coffee Week on the 9th that the world's largest coffee producer expects to harvest 47.54 million bags (60 kg per bag) this year — a decline of 6.46% compared to the previous year.

The main reason for the smaller crop is timing rather than trouble: Brazil's coffee trees follow a pronounced biennial bearing cycle, and this year falls on the "off" year of that cycle. Even so, the National Supply Company noted that reaching a figure this strong in an off-year is a considerable achievement in itself.

According to the agency, Brazil's national coffee planting area stands at 2.31 million hectares this year, a slight decrease of 0.74% from last year. Minas Gerais remains the largest producing state, with 1.24 million hectares under cultivation — 53.49% of the national total.

International Coffee Week opened the same day in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais. More than 200 representatives from international coffee organizations across 77 countries attended the five-day event, where contracts worth 20 million reais (approximately US$8.7 million) were expected to be signed, indirectly bringing in a further 30 million reais (approximately US$13.04 million) in investment.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

As the world's largest producer, Brazil grows an enormous range of coffee, and the best of it is defined by balance: moderate acidity, gentle bitterness, and a pleasing body. That equilibrium makes Brazilian beans a natural fit for medium roasting, which coaxes out a nutty aroma and a smooth, mellow cup with just a touch of acidity — excellent as a single origin and equally valuable as a blend base.

If you simply want a taste of the classic Brazil profile, FrontStreet Coffee's pulped natural Cerrado is a dependable choice. Cerrado is one of Brazil's most respected growing regions, and this Red Bourbon lot, medium roasted, opens with rich aromas of creamy peanut, toasted bread, caramel, and hazelnut. The cup is round and full, non-acidic with only a light bitterness, and versatile enough for pour-over, moka pot, espresso SOE, siphon, or French press.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate (Rainha) Yellow Bourbon comes from the Mogiana region near southern Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil feeds deeply aromatic fruit. Yellow Bourbon — a natural mutation of Red Bourbon — gives a cleaner fruit character, and in the cup you'll find a sugarcane sweetness with notes of fruit and chocolate. Brazilian beans like these are also the backbone of many espresso blends: their chocolate and cream notes, soft acidity, and steady balance help keep extraction consistent shot after shot.