Brazil reports 50% coffee harvest progress

Brazilian coffee coop Cooxupe said its harvest progress stood at 50 percent as of mid-july, still lacking behind the past few years.

Cooxupe President Carlos Paulina da Costa recently cited climatic factors as the reason for the delay. 

Cooxupe expects its members to harvest 8.4 mln bags of coffee this year, up from 6.8 mln last year. The world's largest cooperative expects to receive 5.7 mln bags of this and plans to sell 5.2 mln.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Cepea reported that dry weather was favouring harvesting activities though progress remained behind last year. Weather conditions in the first half of 2018 including heavy rains in robusta areas in Rondônia and Espírito Santo as well as in Zona da Mata and a lack of precipitation in other arabica regions delayed the start of the harvest, which was further aggravated by the truckers' strike.