Brazil exports 3,6 million bags of coffee in February

Brazilian coffee shipments totaled 3,626 million bags of 60 kg in February 2024, which implies growth of 48,9% compared to the 2,435 million bags sent abroad in the same month last year. In foreign exchange revenue, the increase was 47,2% in the same comparative interval, with revenues jumping from US$514,3 million to the current US$757,3 million. The data appears in the monthly statistical report of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

With February's performance, exports in the first eight months of the 2023/24 harvest reach 30,689 million bags, generating revenue of US$6,069 billion. These numbers represent advances of 24,3% in volume and 6,1% in revenue.

In the first two months of 2024, shipments of all types of coffee from Brazil abroad grew 44,9%, totaling 7,654 million bags. The income from this exported volume was US$1,574 billion, 39,3% above that measured in the first two months of 2023.

Coffee types

In January and February this year, Arabica coffee was the most exported, with 6,076 million bags, which corresponds to 79,38% of the total and represents an increase of 35% compared to the first two months of last year.

The canephora variety had 1,031 million bags shipped in the period, standing out with an increase of 531,4% in relation to the same period in 2023 and current representation of 13,47%.

Next comes the soluble coffee segment, with 542,4 thousand bags – a drop of 11,3% and 7,09% of the total – and the roasted and roasted and ground product, with 4.593 bags (-11,3% and 0,06% representation).

“We had the best February in history for conilon and Robusta exports, with 570.361 bags, which also generated a record for canephora shipments in the first two months”, highlights the president of Cecafé, Márcio Ferreira.

According to him, the performance reflects the attractiveness of these Brazilian coffees on the international market, a scenario that has been observed since last year. "Conilon and Robusta from Brazil have more competitive prices than their competitors and we have availability of the product, which has been taking up the spaces left by crop failures in Vietnam and Indonesia, the world's first and third largest producers of the variety", he explains.

Regarding the geopolitical conflicts that impact ship traffic in the Red Sea, he comments that Brazilian coffee exports have not yet suffered any real interference and that the entity continues to monitor the scenario with its members.

"For now, we have not received notifications of an impact on shipments of our coffees, so much so that the performance is positive in the two months. However, the global scenario is very worrying and we need to remain attentive, as freight prices have been rising, as well as congestion and delays of ships in ports", he ponders.

According to the Detention Zero Bulletin (DTZ), prepared by the technology startup in the logistics segment ElloX Digital, in partnership with Cecafé, the rate of delays for ships with coffee in the Port of Santos (SP) was 75% in February, involving a total of 75 container ships, with the longest period for changing ports of call being 22 days.

Despite a slight improvement seen in relation to January this year, the index remains above 75% — a level observed during peak coffee, sugar and cotton harvest seasons, in the second half of 2023 — in a month (February) in which The volume of sugar exported was not high, but there was still a significant amount of cotton shipped.

Another point highlighted in the document is the short period of opening gates to receive loads. Last month, only 13% of boarding procedures lasted longer than four days when the gates were open on ships. Another 66% had between three and four days and 21% had less than two days of open gate period.

"We also need to highlight that, in February, 23 ships did not even have a gate opening, leaving exporters without alternatives and ending up having to bear the unforeseen cost of pre-stacking, further burdening their procedures", he points out. Ferreira.

main destinations

The president of Cecafé highlights, however, the professionalism and work carried out by Brazilian coffee exporters, who have been readjusting their actions in the face of logistical bottlenecks, carrying out rearrangements to adjust their cash flow and allowing Brazil to honor its commitments to its global trade partners. product.

"The 10 main buyers of our coffees increased their purchases in the first two months of this year, which shows that, in addition to the demand for our product continuing to grow, our exporters are carrying out unique and tireless work to continue supplying the world market and maintain Brazil as the main and loyal supplier of the product", he praises.

In the first two months of 2024, the United States led the ranking of the main coffee destinations in Brazil, importing 1,368 million bags, which implies growth of 37,2% compared to the first two months of 2023 and is equivalent to 17,9% of total exports.

Germany, with a representation of 16,2%, purchased 1,241 million bags (+57,5%) and occupied second place in the table. Next comes Belgium, with the purchase of 692.281 bags (+118,5%); Italy, with 485.627 bags (+21,7%); and Japan, with 464.133 bags (+87,2%).

Sixth place in the ranking goes to China, already consolidated as one of the main partners for Brazilian coffees. In January and February, the Asian nation imported 256.931 bags, increasing by 158,5% the volume it acquired in the first two months of 2023.

Closing the top 10 are the Netherlands (Netherlands), with 239.648 bags (+43,3%); Mexico, with 225.081 bags (+722,2%); United Kingdom, with 188.297 bags (+37,6%); and Türkiye, with 184.131 bags (+28%).

differentiated coffees

Coffees that have superior quality or certificates of sustainable practices accounted for 20,5% of total Brazilian exports of the product in the first two months of 2024, with 1,571 million bags shipped abroad. This volume represents an increase of 44,7% compared to that recorded in the first two months of 2023.

The average price of the product was US$227,15 per bag, generating foreign exchange revenue of US$356,9 million, which corresponds to 22,7% of the amount obtained from total coffee shipments in the two months. In the annual comparison, the value is 29,5% higher than that recorded in the same two months last year.

In the ranking of the main destinations for differentiated coffees in the first two months of 2024, the USA occupies first place, with the acquisition of 455.803 bags, equivalent to 29% of the total of this type of product exported.

Closing the top 5 are Germany, with 283.875 bags and a representation of 18,1%; Belgium, with 146.802 bags (9,3%); Netherlands (Netherlands), with 84.010 bags (5,3%); and Japan, with 80.101 bags (5,1%).

Portos

The Port of Santos (SP), despite the aforementioned bottlenecks, remains the main exporter of coffee from Brazil, with the shipment of 5,558 million bags in the first two months, which represents 72,6% of the total.

Next comes the Rio de Janeiro maritime complex, which accounts for 24,4% of exports, sending 1,869 million bags abroad, and the Port of Paranaguá (PR), with the shipment of 103.486 bags and representing 1,4 .XNUMX%.