Brazil exports 3,8 million bags of coffee in December

Volume was achieved with historic performances in Arabica shipments

15.01.2025 | 16:30 (UTC -3)
Paulo André C. Kawasaki

With last month's performance, Brazil broke the annual export record in 2024, with the shipment of 50,443 million bags to 116 countries, recording increases of 28,5% compared to the previous year and 12,8% compared to the highest previous amount, recorded in 2020.

"This result was driven by record shipments of Arabica varieties, which grew 20% compared to 2023, and, mainly, Canephora, which grew 98% in the annual comparison", highlights the president of Cecafé, Márcio Ferreira.

Coffee types 

In the accumulated 12 months of 2024, Arabica coffee, with 36,946 million bags shipped abroad, was the most exported by the country. This is the largest volume in history for this species, equivalent to 73,2% of the total and implies an increase of 19,8% compared to 2023.

Canephora coffees (conilon + robusta) came next and showed the largest percentage increase in shipments last year, registering a significant increase of 97,9 points compared to 2023. Between January and December 2024, the country sent a record 9,356 million bags abroad, which generated a representation of 18,5% in total exports.

The soluble coffee segment, with its second best performance in history by exporting 4,093 million bags – an increase of 13% and 8,1% of the total –, and the roasted and roasted and ground product, with 48.687 bags (-5% and 0,1% of representation), completed the list.

Foreign exchange income

The inflow of foreign currency into the country due to coffee shipments also achieved the best performance in the history of the Cecafé survey, driven by the records recorded in green and soluble coffee. From January to December of last year, remittances generated US$ 12,515 billion for Brazil, increasing 55,4% over 2023 and 35,4% compared to the highest previous amount, recorded in 2022.

Ferreira explains that the historical performance in terms of volume and revenue from Brazilian exports reflects the global market scenario, which is experiencing a period of restricted supply and the consequent rise in commodity prices.

"Large producers such as Vietnam and Indonesia had smaller harvests due to adverse weather conditions. Brazil, even with a harvest below its potential, produced enough to honor its commitments and also fill the gap left by the lack of robusta from Asian competitors. With global consumption remaining strong, it was natural for prices to rise and for revenues to grow from our shipments," he analyzes.

main destinations

The United States was Brazil's main trading partner for coffee last year. The Americans imported 8,131 million bags from January to December, which is equivalent to 16,1% of all exports and implies growth of 34% compared to 2023.

Germany, with 15% of representation, acquired 7,590 million bags (+51,3%) and occupied second place in the ranking. Next came Belgium, with the import of 4,348 million bags (+96,4%); Italy, with 3,914 million bags (+25%); and Japan, with 2,211 million bags (-6,3%).

Brazil, in addition to occupying the space left by the restricted supply of other coffee-producing nations, also supplied these countries throughout 2024, having sent 4,122 million bags to these producers, which represents an increase of 29,9% compared to 2023.

In this group, exports to Mexico stood out, with 1,312 million bags (+140,6%); Vietnam, with 681.612 bags (+364,8%); India, with 284.208 bags (+1.596%); and Indonesia, with 203.400 bags (+7,2%).

By continent, Europe, with a representation of 52,6%, consolidated itself as the main destination for Brazilian coffee by importing 26,529 million bags in 2024, a volume that represented an increase of 40,6% compared to the previous year.

Next came North America, accounting for 21,2% of the total, with the purchase of 10,681 million bags (+46,2%), and Asia, with 9,796 million bags (+11,4%) and a 19,4% share of the total.

When the analysis is carried out by economic blocs, with the exception of Mercosur (-18,4%), the others increased imports of all types of coffee from Brazil. The European Union, which accounted for 46,8% of shipments, led the list with the acquisition of 23,612 million bags last year, showing a growth of 42,8%.

Next came the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries, with 6,857 million bags (+37%); the Middle East, with 3,266 million bags (+22,1%); BRICS, with 2,798 million bags (+19,9%); Arab countries, with 2,375 million bags (+31,5%); and Eastern Europe, with 2,042 million bags (+74,7%).

differentiated coffees 

Coffees with superior quality or certified sustainable practices accounted for 18,1% of total Brazilian exports last year, with 9,141 million bags shipped abroad. This volume is 31,2% higher than that recorded in 2023.

With an average price of US$ 277,28 per bag, foreign exchange revenue from shipments of differentiated coffees was US$ 2,535 billion, which corresponds to 20,3% of that obtained from total coffee shipments from January to December last year. In the annual comparison, the value is 59,9% higher than that recorded in 2023.

In the ranking of the main destinations for differentiated coffees in 2024, the USA took the lead, with the purchase of 2,028 million bags, equivalent to 22,2% of the total of this type of product exported.

Rounding out the top 5 were Germany, with 1,619 million bags and a representation of 17,7%; Belgium, with 992.794 bags (10,9%); the Netherlands, with 611.063 bags (6,7%); and Italy, with 365.663 bags (4%).

Bottlenecks in logistics and losses

Despite the records achieved, the president of Cecafé recalls that associated exporters have been facing a series of logistical obstacles, mainly in ports, due to continuous delays and changes in the scale of ships to ship the product, in addition to successive cargo rollovers.

A survey initiated by the entity in June, using data from 27 associated companies, which represent 75% of total coffee exports, reveals that they accumulated a loss of R$42,332 million by the end of November last year.

These extra costs refer to detentions, pre-stacking, gate anticipation and additional storage due to the volume of 1,615 million bags — 4.895 containers — accumulated in Brazilian ports without shipment between January and November 2024.

"The extraordinary performance that Brazil has achieved with coffee shipments abroad is due to the tireless work of the logistics teams of our associated exporters, who sought alternatives such as break bulk to carry out shipments, and to the support of port terminals, especially in Santos (SP), which are making efforts to meet the demands of the segment and consolidate coffee exports", explains Ferreira.

In November alone, according to the Detention Zero Bulletin (DTZ), prepared by the startup ElloX Digital, 66% of ships, or 200 of a total of 304 container ships, had delays or changes in calls at the main ports in Brazil and impacted the result of coffee shipments.

Portos

The Port of Santos remained the main exporter of Brazilian coffee in 2024, with 34,277 million bags and a representation of 68% of the total. Next came the port complex of Rio de Janeiro, which accounted for 27,9% of shipments by sending 14,075 million bags abroad, and the Port of Vitória (ES), which exported 474.222 bags and had a representation of 0,9%.

2024/25 Harvest

Brazilian coffee exports between July and December 2024 totaled 26,049 million bags, generating foreign exchange revenue of US$ 7,165 billion. Both scenarios are the highest in history for the first half of a coffee harvest year in Brazil and were driven by the records achieved, in bags and dollars, with shipments of green and soluble coffee. In comparison with the first six months of the 2023/24 season, growth of 13% in volume and 59,4% in revenue were recorded.

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