National Coffee Day is celebrated on May 24, highlighting that Brazil is the world’s largest producer and exporter and the second largest consumer of this delicacy.
The first harvest estimate made by the National Supply Company (Conab) for 2023 reaffirmed this protagonism for the country, as explained by the deputy head of technology transparency at Embrapa Coffee, Lucas Tadeu, in an interview with Jovem Pan News.
“The crop estimate for this year is 54.7 million 60 kg bags (…) Developing new cultivars, which are seeds and seedlings, management, cultivation in the field, and processing have contributed to Brazil maintaining this protagonism of coffee growing globally.”
“In 25 years, Brazilian product exports have increased by 42.5%.”
“The country’s annual sales abroad went from 16.7 million bags in 1997 to 39.3 million in 2022.”
“And 60% of our production, on average, has been exported to more than 120 countries.”
“As Brazil accounts for one-third of the world’s production, of every three cups consumed, one is Brazilian,” detailed Lucas Tadeu.
In these same 25 years, Brazilian domestic consumption has almost doubled, from 11.5 million bags to 21.5 million.
Coffee is part of the Brazilian culture, and traders point out that the habit has become more refined and sophisticated due to a more mature and demanding consumer.
Two and a half years ago, entrepreneur Ana Paula Lombardi bet all her chips on specialty coffee.
“One of the things we have built here is to teach and catechize people about this coffee consumption.”
“This migration from the traditional coffee, strong with that bitterness that we have, to a coffee with other flavors and other notes, which is the specialty coffee.”
The director of sustainability for a company in the coffee industry, Isabela Pascoal, points out that the foreign market has also started to demand high-quality products.
“High-quality coffee is ultra-selected. Therefore, as it is highly selected, it can be and should be roasted carefully so we do not burn it.”
“If we burn it, we can drink coffee and toasted bread, but it will have the same taste, that bitter taste that seems useless when we put too much sugar.”
“High quality means a wonderful grain, roasted carefully and prepared in the best way.”
With information from Jovem Pan
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