Rains will turn lighter in Brazil's coffee growing areas this week, but almost all areas will have light showers every day, private weather forecaster Somar predicted Monday. "The hot and wet weather will favour summer showers through this week in the coffee belt. However, the accumulated rainfall will not exceed 70 millimeters over five days," Somar forecast in a daily coffee weather bulletin for the world's top grower.
Rains have been plentiful, with the Latin American country now well into its wetter summer season. Unlike last year, when a prolonged dry spell jeopardised delicate flowering on coffee trees, the rains have arrived on time to accompany the new crop. Government crop supply agency Conab gave its first estimate for the forthcoming 2009/10 harvest last month, eyeing output of 36.9 million to 38.8 million 60-kg bags.
It said a cyclical dip, few inputs and erratic rains would limit yields. The key flowering periods in Brazil's 2009/10 coffee season have now passed, but rains are still useful to build up soil moisture to sustain trees as tiny buds fill out and become fully-formed coffee fruit to be harvested from mid-year on.
In its extended forecast, Somar predicted a new cold front crossing southern Brazil from February 7-11 would bring heavier showers to northern Sao Paulo and southern Minas Gerais, both coffee areas. Minas's forested zone should see only light rain.