Brazil is not only the largest country in Latin America, it is also the largest coffee producer in the world. Nr 1 in arabica and nr 2 in robusta. The vast, flat areas available for agriculture, the favourable climate and a high level of technical development make Brazil into a coffee behemoth. Most farms are immense, sometimes (mainly in the west of the state of Minas Gerais) they can be over a thousand hectares. Together all farms in Brazil account for around 30% of global coffee production. In the south east of Minas Gerais the landscape changes, hills become more steep and the landscape is more diverse. Herefarms are relatively small. These Brazilian small scale farmers often have less than 10 hectares and have found specialty coffee is a way to compensate for limited volumes. Higher quality and more characteristic coffees yield a higher price, at least if the market recognises the coffee for what it's worth.
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