Brazil boosts quality of robusta coffee
Farmers invest in new methods as climate change hits arabica
Brazilian coffee farmers are investing in improved harvesting and drying methods to raise the quality of robusta beans as climate change threatens arabica varieties traditionally used in specialty brews. With global coffee prices at record levels amid trade tensions and extreme weather, higher-grade robusta offers roasters a way to reduce blend costs while meeting demand for resilient crops.
The Specialty Coffee Association revised its evaluation training this year so graders can assess both arabica and robusta to the same standards, and plans to update its flavour lexicon in 2026 to include attributes linked to fine robusta, such as aromatic spice. That institutional shift supports a push in Espírito Santo, Brazil’s robusta heartland, to scale up specialty robusta production from about 10,000 60-kg bags today to 1.5 million bags annually by 2032, according to state agriculture officials.
Cooperatives and exporters say quality improvements are already boosting demand and prices. Cooabriel, a leading robusta cooperative, is teaching farmers to replace traditional smoke-drying with electric dryers and to adopt careful sorting and post-harvest practices long used for arabica. Cecafe, the national coffee exporter group, reported the average price of specialty Brazilian robusta rose above $295 per bag in October, up from under $127 in 2021; robusta futures have jumped roughly 80% over the same period.
On the retail side, some São Paulo cafés are showcasing espressos made entirely from robusta, producing creamy, chocolatey shots prized for body though lacking arabica’s fruity acidity. International roasters and coffee houses—particularly those making espresso blends, instant coffee or preferring fuller, bitter profiles—are increasingly open to premium robusta, seeing it as both cost-effective and climate-resilient.
The move toward robusta reflects broader climate-driven adjustments: arabica suffers from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and disease pressure, while robusta tolerates heat, drought and pests better. However, scaling up specialty robusta faces hurdles. Investments in mechanical dryers, irrigation and rigorous processing are costly, and some robusta-growing regions are already experiencing climate variability and drought. Producers must also overcome entrenched market perceptions that consign robusta to low-grade uses.
Still, the combination of rising prices, technical support, and shifting industry standards is prompting structural change in Brazil’s coffee sector. If producers can sustain quality gains and expand access to modern processing, robusta could move from a low-cost filler to a valued component of global specialty coffee—recasting supply chains and offering farmers a more resilient livelihood amid a warming climate.
