Eyes on the crop

Summer ended in Brazil recently and everyone is wondering how the next crop will be in the world's leading producer of coffee.

What we have seen so far in all regions, is that the vegetative development of crops is surprisingly good, which is a promising sign for an excellent yield in terms of sieve size.

In regard to the production volume, there is still a lot of misinformation going on, messing up with the market.

We believe that 23/24 crop won’t be as huge as some initially considered, but it will be around 10 to 15% bigger than previous crop.

But let’s keep following all the factors that can still affect the harvest to have more accurate information in the next couple of months.

For now, you can find below, the updated details of each of the 8 regions that Bourbon Specialty Coffees source coffees from:

• ?Vale da Grama & Sul de Minas

The vegetative development of the plants in Vale da Grama exceeded expectations, the crops are in excellent vigor, leafy, and with a good reservoir of water in the soil for the harvest period.

It is expected that the rainy season will extend a little longer compared to previous years, indicating that the harvest should not advance, as has been reported in other regions.

For Sul de Minas region, the scenario is also promising, both for the 2023 and 2024 harvests, since the beginning of the year recorded rainfall above historical averages. The harvest should follow the usual calendar for the region and producers have reported that the expectation is for a similar harvest in terms of volume compared to the previous year.

• ?Alta Mogiana

Producers have reported that weather conditions at the beginning of the season are perfect for the health and development of crops - February recorded an accumulation of 380mm of rain.

The expectation is that the harvest begins at the end of April, intensifying in the first half of May in most properties. Fruit development in the region's crops is a

highlight. In addition to uniformity, it is possible to verify that the setting and expansion exceeded expectations. For the next?15 days, the volume of rainfall is expected to be moderate, not exceeding 50mm.

• Cerrado Mineiro

Hot days, with sun and lots of rain, and milder nights have marked the climate during the last few weeks in Cerrado Mineiro.

Crops remain in excellent vigor and producers have been able to properly maintain the planting and management schedule. Among professionals from the field in the region, some comments estimate that around 3 million seedlings of coffee trees were planted, with emphasis on the Arara and Catucaí 2SL varieties.

In the warmer areas of the Cerrado region, some producers recorded some fruits at an early stage of maturation, which confirms the forecast for a slightly earlier harvest than usual for the region.

• Matas de Minas (Araponga & Caparaó)

The harvest reading for Matas de Minas also points to a possible advance in the harvest window, especially in regions with lower altitudes and higher temperatures. This scenario is presented due to the excellent climatic conditions and the developed state of the fruits, which expanded well due to the high volume of rainfall.

For the higher and colder regions, the beginning of the harvest should follow the usual period, starting only in June. For the next few days, the forecast is that the

volume of rainfall will also begin to decline, ensuring ideal conditions for the beginning of the fruit maturation stage.

• ?Montanhas do Espírito Santo

Espírito Santo Mountains seem to have equated in terms of harvesting with other coffee-producing regions such as Central America.

With a unique and diverse microclimate, you can find crops in all stages of production: flowering, forming fruits, expanding fruits, and ripe fruits - the good news: we have March Flower (phenomenon that only occurs in ES region and

is known to produce the best microlots of the season)!

Producers are attentive to each stage, all to ensure the harvest at the right time. Some have reported that in the 22/23 cycle, they carried out more than?10 selective harvests in their crops.

The larger volume of the harvest should start in April for the lower altitude regions, and in June for those above?1,000 meters.

Meanwhile, a lot of work has also been done outside the fields, many producers have been committed to renovating and improving their post-processing and drying structures, ensuring that everything is ready for when the harvest begins.

Hope you have enjoyed the overview on how things look like in the mentioned regions.

Our team is constantly on the field, visiting and talking to the producers, so we will keep sharing updated projections on the next crop.

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Best Regards,

Bourbon Team?