Brazilian Coffee production figures rose by more
than 12 million (60kg) bags to an amazing 46 million during 2008 –
making the country streets ahead of the other two top world coffee
producers of Vietnam (19.5 million bags) and Colombia (13 1 million
bags).
That’s a staggering 7500 tonnes of coffee, harvested, bagged and
stored for each and every day of the year! Of course these
processes are done at different times throughout the year, but
whichever way you look at it, there is an awful lot of coffee in
Brazil!
Over 75% of this production was Arabica coffee, with the state of
Minas Gerais on its own producing more than 23 million bags –
getting on for nearly twice as much as the whole of Colombia.
Minas Gerais (which roughly translates to ‘General Mines’) is
situated in the south east of the country and is the third largest
state in Brazil. It owes its name to the many mineral mines founded
in the 18th century.
In this same century, coffee was first introduced to Brazil by a
government official named Francisco de Mello Palheta. According to
the intriguing story, back in 1727 he was invited to mediate a
heated border dispute between French and Dutch Guiana, whose
governments were actively growing coffee in Guiana. Both closely
guarded their financial interests by strictly forbidding the
exportation of coffee seeds and plants.
Palheta quickly accepted the invitation with hopes of somehow
obtaining some seeds for planting coffee back in Brazil, and rather
conveniently became romantically involved with the French Governors
wife. Upon his departure, after successfully mediating a solution
to the border issue, and doubtless pleasing the Governors wife, she
presented him with a bouquet of flowers in which she had hidden
several coffee seedlings.
The seedlings flourished and the Brazilian farmers quickly learned
the art of growing coffee, putting the emphasis on quantity rather
than quality. This has always been the accepted philosophy when it
comes to coffee growing in Brazil.
Today, however, Brazil is becoming a significant player in the
specialty coffee industry. Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Mundo Novo
coffee varieties are grown in the states of Paraná, Espirito
Santos, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Bahia.
As the worlds’ largest producer of coffee, the Brazilians do at
least practice what they preach, as they are second only to the
United States in being the world’s largest actual consumers of
coffee.
Coffee is produced commercially in many countries of the world but
Brazil is the largest producer by a country mile!
Written by Fenton Wayne - (Fenton Wayne is an independent
advisor in the coffee and vending trade where he has over 25
years experience. This article has been submitted to and
distributed by www.submityourarticle.com)