Classification
Product TypeRaw Material
Product FormGreen (Unroasted, Non-decaffeinated)
Industry PositionPrimary Agricultural Product
Raw Material
Market
Green (unroasted, non-decaffeinated) coffee beans from Brazil are a cornerstone global supply origin, with production spanning both Arabica and Robusta/Conilon. Production is concentrated in several states, with Minas Gerais typically the leading Arabica producer and Espírito Santo a key Conilon-producing state in official Brazilian crop statistics. National production and export availability can fluctuate with weather and the coffee biennial cycle, which affects year-to-year output. Market access and buyer requirements increasingly emphasize traceability, including compliance readiness for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for EU-bound supply chains.
Market RoleMajor producer and exporter
Domestic RoleMajor agricultural export commodity with significant domestic downstream use (roasting and processing) alongside exports
Market GrowthMixed (recent seasons and near-term outlook)year-to-year variability influenced by biennial cycle and weather conditions
SeasonalityOfficial Brazilian crop monitoring indicates the national coffee harvest is largely completed by late Q3 in recent seasons, with high harvested-area completion reported by end-August and harvest completion around September in some Conab surveys.
Specification
Primary VarietyArabica (Coffea arabica)
Secondary Variety- Robusta/Conilon (Coffea canephora)
Physical Attributes- Physical defect screening and grading is a core quality-control step for green coffee lots, with defect-related classification frameworks referenced by industry standards bodies.
- Uniformity (bean size/screening), visible defects, and foreign matter control are common buyer-facing specification elements.
Compositional Metrics- Moisture content is a key quality and safety parameter for green coffee; the ICO Coffee Quality-Improvement Programme (Resolution 420) sets a target moisture range of 8% to 12.5% for exported coffee labelled as compliant, measured using ISO 6673.
Grades- ICO Coffee Quality-Improvement Programme (ICC Resolution 420) provides voluntary target standards for defects and moisture content, and uses Certificate of Origin coding to indicate compliance.
Packaging- Export statistics for Brazilian coffee are commonly expressed in 60-kg bags; this bag unit is a standard reporting basis in Brazilian coffee export and crop publications.
Supply Chain
Value Chain- Harvest → primary processing (dry/natural or wet) → drying → milling/beneficiamento → grading and quality control → warehousing → export shipment
Atmosphere Control- Moisture control and protection from humidity during storage and shipping are critical to reduce mold growth risk and associated mycotoxin concerns.
Freight IntensityMedium
Transport ModeSea
Risks
Regulatory Compliance HighEU market access risk from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): coffee is in scope, and non-compliance (deforestation-free/legality requirements and due diligence statement expectations) can block placement of Brazil-origin coffee on the EU market. EU sources indicate application has been postponed, with entry into application set for 30 December 2026 for large/medium operators and 30 June 2027 for micro/small operators.Implement plot-level traceability and geolocation capture, maintain legality and land-use evidence packs, and run pre-shipment EUDR due diligence workflows for EU-bound lots.
Labor And Human Rights HighReputational and legal exposure from forced-labor/modern-slavery risks in coffee supply chains: Brazil’s MTE maintains a public registry (“Lista Suja”) of employers found to have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery, and coffee cultivation appears among the activities with inclusions in official updates.Screen suppliers and farms against MTE public registry updates, require third-party social audits and worker-grievance mechanisms, and strengthen labor broker oversight during harvest.
Climate HighSupply disruption and price volatility risk driven by adverse weather and production-cycle effects: official crop reporting highlights that drought/heat and biennial-cycle dynamics can materially change annual output for Arabica and Conilon, affecting availability and contract performance.Diversify sourcing across producing states and species (Arabica/Conilon), use hedging and flexible contract structures, and maintain contingency inventory for high-risk weather periods.
Food Safety MediumQuality and food-safety risk if moisture control fails during storage/shipping: elevated green-coffee moisture increases mold risk and can contribute to mycotoxin (e.g., ochratoxin A) concerns; ICO quality references include target moisture parameters and ISO methods for moisture determination.Set contract moisture and storage-condition requirements aligned with ICO/ISO references, verify moisture on intake and pre-shipment, and enforce dry, humidity-controlled warehousing and container loading practices.
Sustainability- EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) compliance for EU-bound supply chains (deforestation-free and legally produced requirements; enhanced traceability and due diligence expectations)
- Land-use and deforestation-risk screening in supply-chain due diligence for coffee sourced from Brazil
Labor & Social- Risk of severe labor-rights violations in agricultural supply chains, including coffee: Brazil’s Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE) publishes the public registry (“Lista Suja”) of employers found to have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery, with coffee cultivation appearing among listed activity categories
- Heightened buyer scrutiny and audit expectations for recruitment practices, housing conditions for seasonal workers, and payment transparency during harvest periods
FAQ
Why is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) a high-impact risk for Brazil-origin green coffee?Coffee is explicitly covered by the EUDR, and companies placing coffee on the EU market (or exporting from the EU) must be able to show the product is deforestation-free and legally produced and support this with due diligence documentation. EU sources also indicate the regulation’s application timeline has been postponed, with application dates set for late 2026 (large/medium) and mid-2027 (micro/small), which makes early traceability preparation important for EU-bound Brazil lots.
Which official export certificates are commonly relevant for shipping green coffee from Brazil?If the destination country requires it, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) issues an International Phytosanitary Certificate through its official phytosanitary certification process. In addition, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) references Certificates of Origin in its coffee quality and statistical framework, and these are commonly part of the documentation set for coffee shipments.
What moisture parameter is commonly referenced for green coffee quality control in international trade?The ICO Coffee Quality-Improvement Programme (ICC Resolution 420) sets voluntary target standards for exported coffee labelled as compliant, including a moisture-content target range of 8% to 12.5% measured using the ISO 6673 method. Buyers often use these references when setting moisture specifications and acceptance checks.