São Paulo – Brazil exported around 2 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee in July, up 0.7% from July 2011. Revenues, however, were down 20.4% using the same basis of comparison, at US$ 428.8 million, according to figures issued this Tuesday (7th) by the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé). July was the first month in the 2012-2013 crop.
The average price of coffee strongly influenced the performance. As of July 2011, the bag of coffee was selling for US$ 261.27, as against US$ 206.41 in July this year, a 21% decline.
In a press statement, Cecafé director general Guilherme Braga claimed that growers are likely to invest in higher value-added products to boost earnings. According to him, a large harvest cannot be counted on in the current cycle, because the impact of rains in coffee-growing regions is yet unknown.
Year-to-date, Brazil exported 14.7 million bags, down 20% from the first seven months of 2011. Revenues were down 21.7%, to roughly US$ 3.5 billion.
In terms of exports to Arab countries, however, the logic was reversed. Sales stood at US$ 119.5 million from January to July, up 0.42% from the same period in 2011. The volume shipped was 587,800 bags, down 9% using the same basis of comparison.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
