Brazil exports record 4,5 million bags of coffee in September

Brazil exported 4,464 million 60 kg bags of coffee in September 2024, a record volume for this month and which implies growth of 33,3% compared to the 3,348 million bags shipped in the same period last year. By reaching US$ 1,194 billion, foreign exchange revenue increased 84,5% in the same comparative period and is also the highest in history for the month of September. The data is included in the monthly statistical report of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

In the first quarter of the 2024/25 crop year, shipments of the product abroad totaled 12,050 million bags, generating US$ 3,105 billion for the country. Compared to the figures compiled between July and September 2023, this performance represents increases of 19,7% in volume and 54,7% in revenue.

Civil year

From January to September this year, Brazil exported a record 36,428 million bags, representing an increase of 38,7% compared to the 26,264 million registered in the first nine months of 2023. Income from coffee shipments abroad in 2024 is also the highest in history, with US$ 8,451 billion, which represents an increase of 51,9% compared to the US$ 5,563 billion accumulated last year up to September.

Despite the significant volumes recorded, the president of Cecafé, Márcio Ferreira, states that the export sector continues to face critical problems in logistics, which intensified in the second half of the year, with a lack of structure and space in Brazilian ports and a greater demand for containers for shipments, mainly of coffee, sugar and cotton.

"Unfortunately, there has been no change in the logistics scenario and we continue to face major and constant delays in export ships, gate openings with limited time, overcrowded port yards and cargo arriving from the field that cannot be dispatched, generating high extra costs for exporters," he reveals.

“This scenario – he adds – results in the non-shipment, this year, of approximately 2 million bags of coffee, which are accumulated in the ports, increasing the losses of exporting companies and the non-entry of millions of dollars as revenue to Brazil."

The president of Cecafé explains that the expressive performance of shipments is justified, mainly, by the commitment of the exporters' logistics teams and by the entity's maintenance of dialogue with the port terminals, in the hope of mitigating these obstacles and optimizing the export process, given the continuity of logistical bottlenecks, with high rates of ship delays, regular cargo rollovers, short gate opening periods and lack of windows.

"Exporters are literally paying for this performance, because the situation in Brazilian ports has not improved and they continue to face major challenges. In addition to the lower inflow of foreign currency in the country's commercial transactions, exporting companies are being impacted by high extra costs for additional storage, pre-stacking, detentions and early gates, but they still continue to honor their commitment to their international customers," says Ferreira.

As a representative of the sector, he reports that Cecafé has been maintaining dialogue with port terminals and foreign trade entities so that there is an effort to serve cargo, “even in the face of all the yard challenges”.

The president adds that companies have been looking for alternatives to maintain the flow of Brazilian coffee abroad, citing, as an example, two break bulk shipments made in September.

"In this modality, big bags are used to store coffee inside ships, a practice that was commonly seen in the 60s and which, more recently, was observed in 2022, due to the pandemic, as an alternative to the low availability or even lack of containers on the world market", he concludes.

main destinations

The United States is the main destination for Brazilian coffee in 2024. The country imported 5,770 million bags from January to September, which is equivalent to 15,8% of all exports and implies growth of 31,9% compared to the first nine months of last year.

Germany, with 14,7% of representation, acquired 5,359 million bags (+70,8%) and occupies second place in the ranking. Next comes Belgium, with the import of 3,328 million bags (+131,5%); Italy, with 3,021 million bags (+47,3%); and Japan, with 1,633 million bags (-3,1%).

Analyzing shipments made to other producing countries, the numbers recorded for Mexico stand out, which increased its purchases of Brazilian product by 169,3% in 2024, acquiring 839.601 bags, 712.103 of which were green coffees (arabica and canephora). This performance places Mexico at the top of the ranking of producing nations that imported the most from Brazil.

Vietnam, the world's second largest producer, continues to increase its purchases of domestic coffee to honor its commitments, following the Mexicans. Between January and September, the Vietnamese – which leads global production of Robusta – imported 637.546 bags, representing a substantial growth of 374,8% compared to the same period in 2023. Of this total, 484.777 bags were Robusta, reinforcing that Brazilian coffee has been used by the Asian country to meet the demand it receives.

Among the producing countries that bought the most coffee from Brazil, the percentage growth of 475,7% recorded for India stands out, which increased its purchases from 33.856 bags last year to 194.896 bags from January to September. It is worth noting that, in 2024, Indians imported only the in natura product (arabica, conilon and robusta), which, when compared only with the green coffees they acquired in the first nine months of 2023 (15.200 bags), generates an even more expressive growth of 1.182,2%.

Coffee types

Arabica coffee, with 26,397 million bags shipped abroad between January and September, continues to be Brazil's most exported species. This volume is the largest in history for this nine-month period, corresponding to 72,5% of the total and representing a 26,6% increase compared to the first nine months of last year.

The canephora species (conilon + robusta) comes next and is the main highlight of shipments in 2024, with a record shipment of 7,037 million bags abroad. This amount implies substantial growth of 170,4% compared to 2023 and increases its representation to 19,3% of the total.

The soluble coffee segment, with 2,961 million bags – an increase of 6,8% and 8,1% overall –, and the roasted and roasted and ground product, with 33.349 bags (-14% and 0,1% representation), complete the list.

differentiated coffees

Coffees with superior quality or certified sustainable practices account for 18,2% of total Brazilian exports of the product between January and September 2024, with 6,643 million bags shipped abroad. This volume is 51,6% higher than that recorded in the first nine months of last year.

The average price of the product was US$ 254,67 per bag, generating foreign exchange revenue of US$ 1,692 billion, which corresponds to 20% of that obtained from total coffee shipments in the nine-month period. In the annual comparison, the value is 62,9% higher than that recorded in the same nine months of 2023.

In the ranking of the main destinations for differentiated coffees, between January and September of this year, the USA remains in the lead, with the purchase of 1,548 million bags, equivalent to 23,3% of the total of this type of product exported.

Rounding out the top 5 are Germany, with 1,171 million bags and a representation of 17,6%; Belgium, with 760.182 bags (11,4%); the Netherlands, with 457.436 bags (6,9%); and Italy, with 282.850 bags (4,3%).

Portos

The Port of Santos is the main exporter of Brazilian coffee between January and September 2024, with 24,682 million bags, or 67,8% of the total. Next comes the port complex of Rio de Janeiro, which accounts for 28,6% of shipments by sending 10,419 million bags abroad, and the Port of Vitória (ES), which exported 314.936 bags, representing 0,9%.