Brazil robusta coffee co-op sees at least 15% loss due to weather

(Reuters) – Cooabriel, Brazil’s largest robusta coffee co-op, said that above average temperatures and drier-than-normal weather in the main growing areas in Espirito Santo state will likely have a negative impact on production.

The co-op, which has more than 7,000 associated coffee farmers, said that the dry, hot weather could cause losses ranging from 15% to 25% of next year’s production in the farms in the state, Brazil’s largest robusta coffee growing region.

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of arabica coffee, and second only to Vietnam for robusta, largely used to make instant coffee. It has expanded production and exports of the variety in recent years.

Soil moisture in the northern part of Espirito Santo, where most of the robusta is cultivated, is currently at the lowest level for seven years according to LSEG’s Agriculture Weather Dashboard.

A large part of the coffee fields are irrigated, but reservoir levels are low with several municipalities having declared a state of emergency.

Cooabriel’s agronomist Perseu Fernando Perdoná said that estimates of losses could change until the harvest next year, either higher or lower depending on the weather in coming months.

Rains that could improve soil levels are forecast for next week.