The new coffee crop (2023/24) in the world's largest producer and exporter, Brazil, was projected on Friday 3 February to reach 64 million 60kg bags, or a 10.2% increase over the previous crop, according to estimates released by coffee trader Comexim.
Details
The trader, which is one of the largest exporters of Brazilian coffee, said it expects the country's exports in the new season to grow 12.6% over the previous crop to 41.5 million bags.
Comexim estimates that Brazil's arabica coffee production will grow 15.8% in 2023/24 versus the previous crop to 41.3 million bags, while it sees robusta coffee output growing only 1.3% to 22.7 million bags.
Arabica coffee is the milder variety preferred by high-end coffee chains such as Starbucks, while robusta coffee is mostly used to make instant coffee.
Comexim also revised downwards its estimate for the current, 2022/23, Brazilian crop to 58.05 million bags from 63.2 million bags projected initially.
"Perhaps we were originally a bit too optimistic in the recovery and underestimated the weather impacts," it said about the revision.
The trader expects a 500,000-bag increase in the Brazilian coffee consumption to 22 million bags in 2023/24.
Brazil is the second largest coffee consumer, after the United States.
Comexim projects a tight carry-over stocks into the new season that starts in July at only around 1 million bags, but it sees potential for a larger production in Brazil in the 2024/25 season.
"It is also important to point-out that the 23/24 coffee crop in Brazil, is an off-cycle year. Meaning that should all factors fall into place (price, weather, etc), we could be setting the stage for an even bigger 24/25 season," it said.
Additional Information
Brazil's arabica production alternates years of high and lower volumes. The harsh frosts in 2021 changed that pattern, since they hurt the 2022/23 crop, which should have been a 'on-year' in the cycle.
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