Arabica corresponds to 70% and conilon to 30% of Brazilian coffee production

The Brazilian Coffee harvest estimated for this year 2019 totals a physical volume equivalent to 48,99 million 60kg bags. Of this total, 34,47 million bags are of the Arabica coffee species, which represents around 70% of the harvest, and 14,52 million bags of the conilon species, which correspond to 30%. However, the 2019 harvest saw a 20,5% reduction in national coffee production, if this performance is compared to the same previous period, when the country harvested a record volume of 61,66 million bags in 2018.

In this same context, it should be noted that coffee production, exclusively of the Arabica species, in 2019, will have a 27,4% reduction in volume, compared to the previous harvest, due to the biennial cycle of this species, which alternates a year of greater production with another of lower yield. As for conilon coffee production, on the other hand, the numbers collected for the 2019 harvest indicate a slight increase in the harvest of 2,5%, compared to the previous coffee year. This increase can be mainly attributed to the increase in production seen in Espírito Santo, a state that increased the cultivated area and recorded higher average productivity.

The main source of data and statistical information that allows this analysis to be carried out was obtained from the Monitoring the Brazilian Coffee harvest – Third Survey – September 2019, from the National Supply Company – Conab, which is available in full at the Coffee Observatory, of the Café Research Consortium, coordinated by Embrapa Café. Conab carries out and publishes four surveys annually. The first in November and December, with release in January. The second in April, with release in May. The third in August and released in September. The fourth is carried out in December and released in the same month, when all data is consolidated.

Regarding the total area cultivated, according to data from this Conab study, in all producing regions, with both Arabica and conilon coffee species, in the year covered by this analysis, the surveys carried out estimate that it covers 2,13 million hectares , an area 1,2% smaller than that previously cultivated. And, regarding the area exclusively in production, the researched data indicates an area of ​​1,81 million hectares - 2,8% smaller than the previous one. As this year's national production is 48,99 million bags, there is a productivity of 27,03 bags per hectare. Thus, this performance is 18,3% lower than that of the 2018 harvest, whose productivity was 33,07 bags per hectare. 

According to data from this Conab Survey, the area in production corresponds to 85%, and the area in formation, which is 319,17 thousand hectares, is equivalent to 15% of the total area of ​​coffee cultivation in the country. In comparison with In the previous harvest, the area in production had a small reduction of 2,8%, while the area in formation grew by 8,5%. Such changes are attributed to the fact that the 2019 harvest had a negative biennial period, which, in general, motivates producers to carry out cultural treatments on crops, a fact that, in general, reduces the area under production.

For Third Survey – September 2019, the estimated numbers demonstrate that the area cultivated with coffee in the country in this harvest is 26,5 thousand hectares smaller than that of 2018. The Survey also clarifies that, in recent years, the area has been showing a reduction, and that it is notable that this phenomenon occurs due to the productivity gains that producers have achieved, as a result of the application and use of new technologies. As a result, area reduction has been a trend.

For Conab, according to data from the Survey, of the main coffee producers in Brazil, only Minas Gerais, which is the largest producing state with approximately 50% of national production, showed a gain in cultivated area in the period from 2001 to 2019. However, In the Zona da Mata region, also in Minas Gerais, the area under production decreased by 0,8%, compared to the previous harvest, due to the intensification of pruning in older crops or those in need of renewal.

As for the state of Bahia, the fourth largest producer in the country, whose 2019 harvest will correspond to 5,7% of the national harvest, for Conab, the reduction seen in the productive area is mainly due to the eradication of coffee crops that were abandoned or replaced for pastures for cattle raising, grains and fruit growing. On the other hand, in relation to the increase in the area under formation in the State, this fact is due to the planting of new areas in some regions, driven by the good results of the last harvests.

Specifically in relation to the total area planted with Arabica coffee, the Third Survey – September 2019, from Conab, highlights that this species of coffee occupies 1,73 million hectares, which corresponds to 81% of the existing area. Furthermore, this harvest will see a decrease of 0,9% (16,3 thousand hectares) in relation to the previous harvest, in addition to highlighting that Minas Gerais has the largest area with this species, with 1,22 million hectares, which correspond to 70% of the area occupied by Arabica coffee nationwide.

As for the total area planted with conilon coffee, Conab's estimate is that it occupies 398,8 thousand hectares, which corresponds to approximately 19%, a number that represents an area reduction of 2,5%, compared to the previous harvest. Of this total, 363,1 thousand hectares are in production and 35,7 thousand hectares are in formation. And, more than that, Espírito Santo has the largest area with this type of coffee - 261,5 thousand hectares -, followed by Rondônia, with 70,5 thousand hectares and shortly after Bahia, with 39,9 thousand hectares, which are the main producers of conilon.   

Finally, the Survey focuses on the fact that the conilon coffee cultivation area has been decreasing each year, from the 2009 harvest to the present, as there was a reduction of 162,1 thousand hectares. Conab attributes this decrease in area to the tendency of coffee growers to promote the optimization and improvement of the management of this crop, in addition to the use of new technologies and more productive genetic material.