Brazil exports 39,2 million bags of coffee in 2023

Brazil exported 39,247 million bags of 60 kg of coffee in 2023, a practically stable volume (-0,4%) compared to the 39,410 million measured in 2022. In foreign exchange revenue, there was a decline of 13% in the annual comparison, with shipments having generated US$8,041 billion last year. The data is part of the monthly statistical report of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

In December 2023, shipments of the product abroad totaled 4,116 million bags, generating US$800,1 million, which represents an increase of 27,1% in volume and 11,6% in revenue compared to the last month of 2022 .

In the first six months of the 2023/24 harvest year, Brazilian coffee exports total 22,993 million bags, representing growth of 18,5% compared to that recorded between July and December 2022. In the same period, foreign exchange revenue recorded a decline of 2,2%, reaching US$4,488 billion.

According to the president of Cecafé, Márcio Ferreira, the performance of shipments last year is positive given the obstacles that the entire production chain experienced. "The first half of the year was marked by more restrained exports due to the lower availability of coffee after two smaller harvests – 2021 and 2022 – impacted by adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the export segment continues to face logistical obstacles, which impacts performance. Without these issues logistics, we would probably export up to 2 million more bags", he projects.

Last year, there were delays in coffee vessels in all 12 months. According to the Detention Zero Bulletin (DTZ), prepared by ElloX Digital in partnership with Cecafé, in December alone, changes were recorded in 76% of ship calls at the Port of Santos (SP), reaching the second highest rate in 2023, behind only from 81% recorded in November.

The bulletin also indicates that, last month, only 15% of boarding procedures took longer than four days for ships to open their gates. Another 52% had between three and four days and 32% had less than two days.

Ferreira, however, reinforces the performance as positive, mainly due to the surge in exports of canephora coffees, which rose 212% in 2023. "This harvest was better than the previous two, which helped with the performance of shipments. I highlight, in particular, the pull of conilon and Robusta, whose shipments abroad exceeded 4,7 million bags, the second best performance in history, behind only 2020, when Brazil harvested a record harvest", he compares.

Coffee types

In the 12 months of last year, Arabica coffee was the most exported, with 30,818 million bags, which corresponds to 78,5% of the total. The canephora variety (conilon + robusta) had 4,708 million bags shipped in the period, representing 12%, accompanied by the soluble segment, with 3,671 million bags (9,4%), and the roasted and roasted and ground product, with 50.377 bags (0,1%).

main destinations

The United States was the main destination for Brazilian coffees from January to December last year, despite the 24,2% drop compared to acquisitions made in 2022. North Americans imported 6,067 million bags, an amount that represented 15,5 .XNUMX% of total shipments.

Germany, with a representation of 12,8%, purchased 5,014 million bags (-26,7%) and occupied second place in the ranking. Next comes Italy, with the purchase of 3,131 million bags (-6,8%); Japan, with 2,386 million bags (+27,4%); and Belgium, with 2,201 million bags (-24,6%).

China Factor

Throughout 2023, China signaled that it would reach greater heights in coffee consumption, having even surpassed the USA as the largest market for branded coffee shops in the world, with 49.690 points of sale, according to analysis by World Coffee Portal .

Last year, the Asian powerhouse jumped to sixth place in the ranking of Brazil's main coffee trading partners, importing 1,480 million bags, a volume that represented a substantial growth of 278,6% compared to the 12 months of 2022. One year earlier , the Chinese had imported 390.879 bags and occupied only 20th position in the table.

In seventh to tenth place, respectively, come Turkey, with 1,365 million bags (+30,6%); United Kingdom, with 1,298 million bags (+64%); Netherlands (Netherlands), with 1,233 million bags (+34,6%); and Colombia, with 1,162 million bags (-32,6%).

When analyzing imports made by other producing countries, significant advances are observed in shipments made to Mexico (+500,7%), Vietnam (+487,7%), the second largest producer in the world, behind Brazil; and Indonesia (+134,9%).

"These two Asian countries increased their purchases of Brazilian coffees due to the crop failures they suffered and the need for national conilon and Robusta to make up for this shortage. The Mexicans import our green coffees for industrial processing aimed at domestic consumption and important re-exports , mainly soluble coffee", reveals Ferreira.

With the performance measured in exports to China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey, Asia totaled imports of 8,819 million bags (22,5% of the total), increasing its purchases by 46,2% compared to 2022 and occupying the second place in the ranking by continents, which is led by Europe, with the acquisition of 18,839 million bags (-7,9%) and representation of 48%. North America rounds out the top 3 with imports of 7,306 million bags (-18,1%) and a share of 18,6%.

differentiated coffees

Coffees that have superior quality or certificates of sustainable practices accounted for 17,8% of total Brazilian exports of the product in 2023, with 6,968 million bags sent abroad. This volume represents an increase of 4% compared to that recorded between January and December 2022.

The average price of the product was US$227,47 per bag, generating foreign exchange revenue of US$1,585 billion in the 12 months of last year, which corresponds to 19,7% of that obtained from total coffee shipments. In the annual comparison, the value is 15,9% lower than the year before last.

In the ranking of the main destinations for differentiated coffees in 2023, the USA came in first place, with the acquisition of 1,477 million bags, equivalent to 21,2% of the total of this type of product exported.

Closing the top 5 is Germany, with 1,121 million bags and a representation of 16,1%; Belgium, with 678.912 bags (9,7%); Netherlands (Netherlands), with 442.206 bags (6,3%); and the United Kingdom, with 321.051 bags (4,6%).

Ports

The Port of Santos (SP) was the main exporter of coffee from Brazil in 2023, with the shipment of 28,157 million bags, which represents 71,7% of the total. Next comes the Rio de Janeiro maritime complex, which accounts for 24,3% of exports, having shipped 9,545 million bags, and the Port of Paranaguá (PR), with exports of 521.102 bags and representing 1,3 %.