A devastating drought, coupled with raging wildfires, has struck Brazil’s coffee heartland, leaving farmers reeling and global coffee prices soaring. The world’s largest coffee producer is facing its worst drought in over seven decades, with catastrophic consequences for the upcoming harvest.
In the municipality of Caconde, Sao Paulo state, one of Brazil’s largest coffee-producing regions, farmers and residents joined forces to combat the inferno that ravaged around 50 farms, consuming an estimated 600 hectares of precious coffee plantations.
Helio Moreira de Araujo, a local coffee producer, surveyed the charred remains of his plantation, his voice laced with despair. “We’ve lost nearly half our expected harvest, 8,000 to 10,000 trees gone, and our yields slashed in half. It’s a disaster.”
The drought’s impact on the 2025/2026 coffee season is already being felt, with experts warning of potential supply shortages and skyrocketing prices.
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Felippe Serigati, an agribusiness expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, cautioned, “The harsh weather conditions will likely result in reduced coffee yields, and the market is already reacting. We’re seeing higher prices for Arabica and Robusta coffee globally.”
The International Coffee Organization’s Composite Indicator Price has risen sharply, averaging $2.38 per pound in August, a staggering 55% increase from the same period last year. While the Organization predicts coffee production will outpace demand this year, tempering price hikes, farmers like Araujo remain anxious.
Vietnam, the world’s second-largest coffee producer, is also grappling with heat and drought, further exacerbating global supply concerns. As the coffee industry holds its breath, one thing is clear: Brazil’s coffee crisis will have far-reaching consequences for coffee lovers worldwide.
