Brazil

Brazilian coffee:

Brazil stands as the world’s leading producer of numerous crops, particularly coffee. It dominates Arabica production, while Vietnam now surpasses it in canephora (or robusta) output. However, Brazil’s influence on global coffee prices remains unmatched.

The origins of Brazil’s coffee industry trace back to the early 1700s, with the legend of Francisco de Melo Palheta, who allegedly planted the first coffee trees in the Para region. Although the story may be partly mythical, coffee’s significance grew as cultivation spread southward. Commercial production began near the Paraiba River, close to Rio de Janeiro. Large-scale farms industrialised rapidly, propelling Brazil to global leadership. By the 1830s, Brazil supplied 30% of the world’s coffee, a figure that soared to 80% by the 1920s. Despite setbacks from the Great Depression and World Wars, Brazil remains a dominant force, currently producing around 30% of the world’s coffee.