Why does nutrition increase your cafe's profitability?

Investing in the quality of coffee becomes essential when aiming to achieve more profitable harvests. This is a characteristic that must be monitored pre- and post-harvest: from first steps to post-harvest management, as this way it is possible to significantly increase product prices during the negotiation process.

Factors such as altitude, climate, soil type, cultivars, pests, diseases and agronomic practices can have a significant impact on the quality of coffee. Among these, the factor plant mineral nutrition. These are the nutrients that directly interfere with the processes physiological and metabolic processes of plants, acting from the photosynthetic rate to tolerance against pathogens.

Although suggestions for well-established and studied fertilizers can be found in various recommendation manuals for coffee, manifestations of deficiencies and imbalances are commonly observed nutrients in crops that directly lead to a reduction in their quality. An example of this are plants with potassium (K) deficiency that They are even more susceptible to attack by pests and diseases. Already the balance of this element in plant nutrition leads to even better sieves and classification of the grains produced.

Furthermore, it is possible to mention the important participation of calcium (Ca) and of boron (B) in the composition of the cell wall, providing structure to the plant and integrity of the plasma membrane. Consequently, the deficiency of these nutrients can cause low phytopathological resistance, thus reducing fruit quality and reduced floral set.

An important point to be discussed in coffee cultivation is the Ca: Mg: K ratio - since its imbalance is detrimental to the supply appropriate of one of these elements. O magnesium (Mg) and the potassium (K) they are fundamental for the translocation of photoassimilates, this function being the mainly responsible for conferring the greatest accumulation of sugars in grains.

Traditionally, when talking about fertilizing of a coffee crop, it focuses more heavily on macronutrients. However, the micronutrients play an essential role in the secondary metabolism of plant, including the production of caffeine itself. Additionally, we highlight the actions of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in enzyme activations, among them the famous enzyme polyphenoloxidase, linked to improving the drink of coffee.

And to further support coffee producers, Mosaic presents its partnership with Flowins. The initiative's mission is to guarantee access for coffee growers to the Flowins Manager, carrying out physical and sensory analyzes of characteristics of your own coffee. The focus is on producers seeking build quality in your production process from soil preparation to harvest and who use Performance products (MicroEssentials, K-Mag, Aspire) or Performa (Neo, Plus, Ultra, Full and HF).

"Also speaking as a producer, I have always suffered from a lack of opportunity to learn about what was produced and did not have a management environment necessary for my property to be a profitable enterprise. Based on this pain, Flowins was created. With the pillars of bringing technical knowledge to producer, and as a consequence sell the product itself better, linked to the quality discovery, we provide a manager to record yearly management after year”, says Iago Junqueira, CEO & Founder of Flowins.

However, even with the apparatus evolution of crop fertilization, strategies such as “4C Management” aim to intensify production in an economically viable way:
1 - Right Place: where the nutrients are necessary and capable of being absorbed;
2 - At the Right Time: availability nutrients according to crop demand;
3 - The Right Dose: where it adjusts to amount of fertilizer with the crop’s needs;
4 - The Right Source: which searches for sources appropriate to the needs of the culture.

And when we talk about quality To obtain greater profitability in coffee, we have to think about cutting-edge technology and inputs. Therefore, the Performance product line from Mosaic Fertilizers, formed by MicroEssentials, K-Mag e Aspire it's the best option for your coffee. MicroEssentials provides match with high solubility and efficiency, in addition to containing two forms of sulfur (elemental and sulfate) for supply throughout the crop cycle. In K-Mag we found the supply of magnesium highly soluble and low chlorine concentration, important characteristics for increase sugar production in the plant and the final quality of the harvest. Already At Aspire, we will be providing plants with two boron sources during all the cycle, via soil for better absorption by the roots and to guarantee formation of floral structures and grain filling.

Coffee farming capable of bringing greater profitability is the one that is seen from an innovative and sustainable management perspective. And for this, it is necessary to well-managed the steps necessary to deliver it to its final destination. The right choices, supported by justifications that fit the global context of the producer, will be decisive in obtaining a quality of emphasis on the drink as a striking identity for the consumer.