Coffee post-harvest planning will help offset increased production costs

The recent rains in the main coffee producing regions in Brazil have alleviated the water deficit in plants, caused by the drought in October last year and also in the months of January and March. According to Satis agronomist César Pirajá, who monitors the behavior of coffee trees in these regions, rainfall of an average of 40 millimeters helps the plants to better resist the winter dry period and achieve greater flowering. “If it weren’t for this, many coffee plants wouldn’t survive until the next rains.”

However, the damage that has already occurred is irreversible because the coffee tree stopped growing and there was a problem with the flower setting. “The crop becomes weakened, defoliates, withers, loses vigor and holds less flowering,” highlights Pirajá. Estimates of losses made by producers of around 20% to 40% in the productivity of the crop that began to be harvested in May are maintained. With little water accumulation in the soil, the situation also harms the next harvest to be harvested in 2022, which will be smaller, as there has been little growth in the branches.

To avoid even greater losses, such as a drop in productivity and an increase in production costs, on average, of 30% compared to the previous harvest, to around R$ 15.000,00 per hectare, the guide for the producer is to pay attention to planning for post-harvest. “Firstly, evaluate your production cost, since most still don’t do this, and have the inputs on the farm to carry out post-harvest and flowering sprays”, observes the agronomist. Pirajá states that the producer should buy earlier, in August or, at the latest, September, and leave the inputs stored to make the first and second fertilization. He warns that if left until the end of October, it will coincide with the planting of the grain harvest.

To assist the producer, Satis, based in Araxá (MG), has some specific solutions that help with care that extends throughout the coffee growing cycle. They are: Vitan, a complex of amino acids that will help the plant to overcome this stress, Vitakelp to have greater flowering and increase the plant's efficiency in water management and Fulland to help strengthen the plant in relation to the phytosanitary.