Brazilian exports on the rise thanks to soaring Robusta shipments
MILAN – Whilst the marketing of the new Arabica crop is yet to get into full swing, Brazilian exports are picking up again thanks to Robusta. This is according to the monthly statistics released by Cecafé yesterday evening, Thursday 11 June 2026. In May, Brazilian exports of all forms of coffee rose by 3.6% compared with the same month in 2025, reaching 3,088,877 bags.
Despite the higher volumes, the fall in export prices led to a 16% drop in export earnings, which nevertheless exceeded one billion dollars.
Exports of green coffee rose by 4.2%, to 2,728,267 bags. However, shipments of Arabica remain significantly lower (-11.9%) than a year ago, standing at 2,126,511 bags.
Exports of Robusta, on the other hand, are soaring, exceeding 600,000 bags and reaching levels almost triple (+193%) those of May 2025.
Overseas sales of processed coffee are also slowing, down slightly (-0.5%) to 360,610 bags, mostly instant coffee.
In the first 11 months of the 2025/26 market year (July–May), exports totalled 35,372,696 bags: 17.7% less than in the same period of 2024/25.
Green coffee volumes fell by 18.5% to 31,870,201 bags, of which 27,473,765 bags (-16.8%) were Arabica and 4,396,436 bags (-27.9%) were Robusta. Sales of processed coffee fell by 10.3% to a still-considerable 3,502,495 bags.
The trend since the start of the calendar year also remains negative: in the first five months of 2026, exports fell by 12.4% to 14,744,701 bags.
Shipments of green coffee totalled 13,017,074 bags (-14.1%). The two varieties showed opposite trends: Arabica continued to fall (-21.3%), dropping to 11,126,317 bags; Robusta, meanwhile, saw a strong recovery, rising to 1,890,757 bags (+86.5%). Volumes of processed coffee also rose slightly (+3.7%), totalling 1,727,627 bags.
Exports to Germany and the US – the two main markets for Brazilian coffee – fell by 10% and 38.4% respectively. Brazilian exports to Italy, however, were up (+3.2%), totalling 1,419,747 bags, as were those to Belgium (+13%)
Exports to Japan, Turkey and Spain were also down, whilst shipments to Colombia soared (+176.5%).
Hamburg remains the main port of destination, followed by Antwerp and Genoa.
Coffee prices saw a recovery yesterday
September Arabica coffee in New York rose by 2.3% to 250.25 cents. The ICE Robusta most active contract for September delivery rose by almost 3%, closing at $3,395. Driving prices higher were the persistent rains in Brazil, which continue to hamper harvesting operations, and concerns over the impact on crops of the El Niño phenomenon, now underway, which is likely to become very strong. Low levels of certified stocks on both markets are alsosupportive for prices.
