SAO PAULO: There were no strong frosts over Brazilian coffee, sugarcane and corn fields early on Wednesday as a cold front advanced through south-central areas of the country, weather forecasters said.
In most areas, overall temperatures did not fall to the point where strong frosts could develop over crops, they said, adding that there was still a small chance that the current system would bring frosts this week.
Arabica coffee futures in New York fell as much as 4% on Wednesday as the risk of damage from frosts to the country that is the world’s largest producer weakened.
“There were reports of light frosts in the highest places, but they were negligible,” said Marco Antonio dos Santos, a meteorologist at Rural Clima.
A second forecaster, Somar, said current simulations were showing less intense cold than expected. It said there was still a small possibility of light frosts this week, but unlikely to bring damage to coffee, sugarcane or corn fields.
Weather stations managed by Cooxupe, the world’s largest coffee co-op and Brazil’s biggest exporter, showed that the lowest temperatures were above freezing point all over the South Minas Gerais region, Brazil’s main coffee belt.
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