Minas Gerais coffee yields double with technical assistance and quality mapping

In Baependi, Minas Gerais, coffee productivity more than doubled over three years after farmers received continuous technical support from the Assistência Técnica e Gerencial (ATeG). Average yields rose from 15.08 to 32.29 sacks per hectare, a 114% increase that exceeds the national average of 24.1 sacks. The program introduced balanced fertilisation, precise soil management, regular fertility analysis and modern planting techniques, helping smallholders improve both volume and quality. Producers reported awards in national specialty‑coffee contests and stronger family succession on farms.

At the same time, the Expocacer cooperative introduced a free 2026 Coffee Quality Mapping service for growers in the Cerrado Mineiro region. The tool integrates the Specialty Coffee Association’s Coffee Value Assessment protocol, offering detailed sensory and sustainability data that guide post‑harvest decisions, fermentation, drying and market positioning. Participants such as farmer Ivânia Nunes say the mapping helps identify high‑potential lots, avoid losses and increase the value of their specialty coffees.