Brazilian coffee growing properties in decline

The number of coffee holdings in Brazil has fallen from 286,842 to 264,316, a 7.9 per cent decrease between 2006 and 2017, Coffidential reports. According to data from IBGE – Censo Agropecuário 2017, the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo have witnessed substantial gains. Minas Gerais now holds 63.5 per cent of the countries’ Arabica properties and Espírito Santo 64.4 per cent of the Conilon holdings (lower quality coffee). Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo have increased their number of Arabica properties whereas Paraná, São Paulo and Bahia have lost them. Espírito Santo also had a marked increase in Conilon properties with marginal gains in Bahia and substan al losses in Rondônia, Coffidential reports. Over the past five years specialty coffee production has increased 20 per cent Brazil, and represents 20 per cent of coffee farms according to 2017 records of the Ministry of Agriculture. Organic and sustainable coffees have also grown. Certifications lead to management improvement at farm-level, higher productivity and the possibility of accessing new markets. Better prices are among the benefits of investing in specialty coffees. While commercial coffees are sold today at around R$450 (US$122), specialty coffees can reach R$1700 (US$459) and above, according to Folha de São Paulo. Despite general dismissals in the industry, wholesale and retail sectors in Brazil, the agribusiness opened 40,900 new job opportunities in June, with coffee leading rural job creation. The coffee production sector has created jobs specially in Minas Gerais where 14,583 new employees have been dully registered according to Jornal Hoje em Dia. In other Brazilian news, Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais will host the 2018 Global Coffee Sustainability Conference (GCSC) from 8 to 9 November. For the first time in Brazil, the event, promoted by the Global Coffee Platform, GCSC2018, expects 300 participants from several countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, Uganda, Colombia, Kenya, Honduras, Tanzania and Peru, apart from Brazil. The event is free of charge for GCP members.