Heavy seasonal rains are to persist in south-eastern Brazil's coffee zones, private meteorologist Somar said, and showers will be heaviest in Minas Gerais, the main coffee state. Rains tend to pick up at this time of year, which is spring in Brazil.
Rain has been pouring down in most main coffee areas for more than a week, and in Sao Paulo city showers caused flash floods on Monday, destroying several cars. "Between December 27 and 31, the heavy rains remain focused on the south-east, exceeding 130mm in the far south of Minas Gerais and Baixa Mogiana," Somar said in a daily coffee weather bulletin.
Rainfall is welcome at this time of year as coffee trees embark on another production cycle to turn out ripe fruit containing coffee beans by the middle of next year. An intense cold front passing by the south-east would sustain the heavy rains, Somar said. Rains will fall in all coffee zones monitored by Somar, though outside of Minas and Sao Paulo states precipitation will be much lighter.
Lack of rainfall last year delayed the 2008-09 crop harvested from the middle of this year and reduced its output, which growers say was still good nonetheless. Rains arrived on time in most coffee areas this year for the coming crop. Next year's harvest is certain to be a good deal smaller as Brazil's coffee output rises one year and falls the next. The 2008-09 season occurred during a larger output year. Brazil is in the late stages of spring, when rainfall picks up after months of mostly dry weather.