Brazil's Minas Gerais coffee harvest delayed by heavy rains

The coffee harvest in Minas Gerais, Brazil, has progressed far slower than usual because of persistent rain. By June 28, the Cooperative of Regional Coffee Growers (Cooxupé) reported that only 24.9% of the cultivated area had been harvested, the lowest level since 2018 and about 17 percentage points behind the same point last year. In the Cerrado Mineiro sub‑region, the share harvested fell to just 16.2%, while neighboring areas such as Matas de Minas and Sul de Minas showed progress of around 30%.

Heavy rainfall in the fourth week of June, with measured totals of 31.3 mm in Minas Gerais—almost 2,000 % above the historic average—has caused fruit loss of roughly 25%, increasing “coffee of the ground” and threatening both the quantity and quality of the upcoming crop. The delay has already helped sustain international coffee prices, as concerns grow over a potential “Super El Niño” and its impact on future harvests.

Cooperatives warn that the excess moisture also promoted premature flowering, which could affect the 2027 season and raise the risk of uneven maturation and pest attacks. Forecasts of dry weather in the coming days are expected to allow the harvest to accelerate, but the current setbacks highlight the vulnerability of Brazil’s coffee sector to climate variability.