Brazil posts record export of 4.2 million coffee bags in April

Brazil exported a record 4.222 million 60-kg bags of coffee in April 2024, surpassing the previous high set in April 2021. These shipments generated an unprecedented foreign exchange revenue of $935.3 million, marking a 53.3% increase in volume and a 52.6% rise in value compared to April 2023, according to the monthly report by the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

Over the first ten months of the 2023/24 harvest year, Brazil’s coffee exports totaled 39.256 million bags, up 28.5% from the same period last year, with revenue increasing by 13.3% to $7.939 billion.

The record-setting trend continued in the first four months of 2024, with exports reaching 16.242 million bags, 45.6% higher than the same period in 2023. Revenue for this period hit $3.444 billion, a 42.4% increase over last year’s $2.418 billion and surpassing the previous record of $3.206 billion from January to April 2022.

“The surge in exports is largely driven by robust shipments of fresh coffees, particularly canephoras (conilon and robusta), which also achieved record performances,” said Márcio Ferreira, president of Cecafé. “This growth is due to the recovery of the 2023 harvest, enabling significant volumes of Arabica shipments and historic performances for conilon and robusta.”

The following chart builds on DataLiner-derived data to show the export volume of coffee beans from Brazil between January 2021 and March 2024.

Brazilian Coffee Bean Exports | Jan 2021 – Mar 2024 | WTMT

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Coffee Varieties

From January to April, Arabica coffee remained the most exported variety, with 12.469 million bags, accounting for 76.77% of total exports and representing a 31.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

Canephora exports reached 2.559 million bags, marking a 548% increase from the previous year and comprising 15.75% of total coffee exports.

Soluble coffee exports totaled 1.203 million bags, a 3.3% decrease, making up 7.41% of the total, while roasted and ground coffee exports amounted to 11,136 bags, a 26.5% decline, representing 0.07% of total exports.

“Following a record-breaking March, we achieved the highest April export volume in history for green coffees, driven by canephoras, which extended Brazil’s record in conilon and robusta shipments for the first four months,” Ferreira noted.

This exceptional performance is attributed to the international market scenario, where reduced availability of Indonesian and Vietnamese robusta coffee has allowed Brazil to fill the gap.

International Demand

Countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Vietnam, and Indonesia have been importing Brazilian coffee to meet their consumption and re-export commitments. Notably, Mexico imported 307,606 bags of Brazilian coffee between January and April, an 877% increase compared to the same period in 2023, primarily for use in their soluble coffee manufacturing.

Ferreira also highlighted the impact of the international market on revenue. “International stock markets surged in April, boosting the value of our shipments and helping to mitigate the high operational costs faced by Brazilian exporters, who continue to meet their commitments despite ongoing logistical challenges,” he said.

PORTS

The Port of Santos has maintained its position as the leading exporter of Brazilian coffee, shipping 11.386 million bags in the first four months of 2024, accounting for 70.1% of the total coffee exports.

Following Santos, the Rio de Janeiro maritime complex contributed 26.8% of the exports, sending 4.352 million bags abroad. The Port of Paranaguá (PR) shipped 144,372 bags, representing 0.9% of the total.

MAIN DESTINATIONS

The top ten buyers of Brazilian coffee have all increased their purchases in the first four months of this year. The United States remains the largest importer, receiving 2.669 million bags, a 29.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023, which accounts for 16.4% of Brazil’s total coffee exports.

Germany, holding 14.5% of the market share, purchased 2.352 million bags, marking a 64.4% rise and securing the second spot. Belgium followed with 1.671 million bags, a significant increase of 199.5%. Italy imported 1.314 million bags, up by 42.1%, while Japan received 813,817 bags, reflecting a 26.3% rise.

Notably, the United Kingdom jumped to sixth place in the ranking, importing 522,233 bags of Brazilian coffee between January and April 2024. This volume represents a substantial growth of 108.2% compared to the same period in 2023, accounting for 3.4% of the total exports.

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