Minas Gerais: Land of Small Producers and Exceptional Coffees
Everything that is produced in Minas Gerais – Brazil has a different taste. Proof of this are the authentic Minas Gerais coffees. But everyday coffee gains an even more differentiated flavor when it is part of the specialty coffee category.
Smallholder coffee farming families that are part of the ICP project in Brazil are increasingly seeking improvements in coffee quality to achieve more economic and social sustainability in rural communities. For this reason, Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung of Brazil, as the implementer of ICP activities, has promoted constant training on improving the coffee production process for farmers.
The last training, held in the city of Bom Sucesso – Minas Gerais, was on "Techniques and Innovations for the production of specialty coffees", in partnership with researcher Denis Henrique Silva Nadaleti from EPAMIG. By focusing on high-quality cultivation techniques for specialty coffees, farmers can achieve a higher market value for their products, ensuring a more robust and stable profit margin. Additionally, specialty coffee production often involves sustainable farming practices that preserve natural resources and promote biodiversity, benefiting the environment and future generations.
Understanding Specialty Coffees
It's not just the taste that makes a coffee special; In fact, there are a series of criteria that need to be followed for coffee to fit into this classification – and the refined flavor ends up being just a consequence.
Specialty coffees are not yet on par with traditional coffee, known as a commodity. 2020 data from the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé) show that specialty coffees accounted for just under 17% of exports in the first three quarters of that year, totaling 5.1 million bags.
Even so, the unique characteristics of specialty coffees have been gaining more and more space in the market. A specialty coffee is one that achieves at least 80 points in the evaluation of the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), a global organization dedicated to promoting excellence in coffee.
There is a strict standard for specialty coffee beans. Those that do not meet the established criteria are not used for this category. According to experts, between 10% and 15% of the grains in a harvest fall under special production.
Care in the Production of Specialty Coffee
All stages of specialty coffee production are strictly monitored by producers, who adapt the management to each phase of the process. The areas with the greatest potential to produce specialty coffees receive specific care both in harvesting and in subsequent processing.
The project participant Silvio César Santos, a producer from the city of Ibituruna - Minas Gerais, has been producing organic coffee for 12 years. Today, he lives from rural activity and has tried to make a difference with his coffee. In 2023, he participated in the specialty coffee contest and came in sixth place, reaching a score of 86.5.With this came the idea of creating an association of specialty coffees in Ibituruna, called Ibituruna Specialty Coffee Association (ISCA).
It's not just the taste that makes a coffee special; In fact, there are a series of criteria that need to be followed for coffee to fit into this classification – and the refined flavor ends up being just a consequence.
"Today, I have approximately 4 hectares of coffee planted on the property. With this I became interested in participating in ICP’s activities to acquire more knowledge and partnerships within the coffee and environmental area."
