March 11, 2021 (12:29 PM BRASILIA)

SÃO PAULO (Reuters - By Roberto Samora) - The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) projected Brazil's coffee crop in 2021 at 47.3 million 60 kg bags, an increase of about 5% compared to the previous month's forecast, with positive adjustments in arabica and conilon harvests.

Despite this, Brazil's production will fall 23.9% compared to the previous year, due to a reduction in the harvest of arabica coffee, which this year suffers the effects of a drought last year, which will deepen the impact of the year of low cycle biennial of culture.

The Arabica coffee crop, the main crop in Brazil, was estimated at 32.2 million bags, an increase of 1.6% compared to the previous month, but a 32.5% decrease compared to the previous year.

In 2020, the Brazilian Arabica coffee crop was of a positive biennial, being a record production in the historical series of IBGE.

For canephora coffee, better known as conilon, the harvest was estimated at 905.3 thousand tons, or 15.1 million bags of 60 kg, with an increase of 12.1% in relation to the previous month and an increase of 4, 6% compared to 2020.

In Espírito Santo, the largest Brazilian conilon producer (67.9% of total production), the estimate is 614.4 thousand tons, with an increase of 18% in relation to the previous month and 9.3% compared to 2020.

The Brasi coffee harvest begins between April and May.