São Paulo – Coffee exports from Brazil were up 24.4% in volume year-on-year in November, as per figures released this Tuesday (11) by the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé). Total exports – including green beans, soluble, and ground and roast coffee – amounted to 3.68 million bags in November, up from 2.96 million bags a year ago.
Foreign currency revenues from coffee exports hit USD 485 million in November, down 1% from November 2017. In November from October 2018, exports dropped by 6.1% to 3.92 million bags, with foreign currency revenues sliding 5.6%.
Arabica coffee accounted for 86,5% of foreign sales in the month, at 3.2 million bags, up 18.9% from November 2017. Soluble coffee made up 7.1% of exports at 263,700 bags, up 8.6%. Robusta coffee exports increased the most year-on-year in November, by 541.1% to 6.3% of total exports and 233,900 bags shipped.
Year-to-date
January to November saw 31.4 million bags shipped from Brazil, up 12.5% from a year ago. “The good export results in November means that barring unforetold circumstances in December, we will end the year at about 35 million bags shipped,” a Cecafé press release quoted chairman Nelson Carvalhaes as saying. Foreign currency revenues here, however, were down 3.9% to USD 4.55 billion.
To date this year, 2.31 million bags of Robusta coffee got shipped, up 826.6% from last year. The leading destinations were the USA, Germany and Italy, which remained the three top destinations for Brazilian coffee in 2018. The USA imported 5.5 million bags, or 17.6% of total exports; Germany took in 4.9 million, or 15.7%; and Italy bought 2.9 million, or 9.4%.
Arab countries
Arab countries as an economic bloc purchased 1.47 million bags of coffee to date in 2018. The amount is up 15% from 1.27 million bags in the comparable period of 2017. Foreign currency revenues came out to USD 201 million, down 4.38% from January-November 2017.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
