Brazil's Importance in the Coffee Market
Germany is one of the most important buyers of coffee from Brazil. For around 150 years, the country has been the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee and shapes the global coffee market like no other country of origin. An enormous variety of coffees is produced on an cultivated area of around 2.3 million hectares, ranging from the mass market to high-quality specialty coffee.
Coffee Cultivation in Brazil
Brazil mainly grows Arabica coffee. A smaller portion of the land is reserved for Robusta (locally known as Conillon). Farm structures vary widely: alongside large plantations, there are numerous smaller farms. Over 85% of the approximately 287,000 coffee producers are considered smallholders with up to 20 hectares of land.
Brazilian coffee cultivation was long criticized – among other things, for monocultures, high yields, and intensive land use. In recent years, however, much has changed. Government regulations oblige larger farms to maintain parts of their land as mixed forests. At the same time, awareness of soil-friendly cultivation and a more targeted use of fertilizers is growing. Many farmers today consciously invest in quality and sustainability.
In contrast to many African countries of origin, Brazilian farmers usually work independently and rarely in traditional cooperatives.
