Unusual frosts in Brazil injures coffee and sugar

LONDON, SAO PAULO, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Arabica coffee prices have surged to the highest level in almost seven years recently after severe frosts damaged crops in Brazil. Brownish spots have stained large areas of coffee fields in the south of Brazil’s top producer Minas Gerais, a sign that the worst cold snap in nearly 30 years will hurt production for at least the next two crops. Frost has posed a threat to coffee trees ever since the crop was first brought to Brazil in the 18th century. Major producing states in Brazil, such as Minas Gerais, are more frost prone than growing regions in other major Arabica coffee producing countries such as Colombia and Ethiopia. Research conducted by Refinitiv comparing temperatures and precipitation in the 30-year period from 1959-1988 with 1989-2018 shows the climate in Brazil is, on average, becoming wetter and warmer. Extreme cold events are becoming less common but extreme heat is becoming more frequent. The most recent severe frost was in ...