Brazil Tinder Box

September 2021: Rainfall Below Normal, Temperatures Have Soared The freezing temperatures in July left many trees with dead foliage. As drought took hold with extreme heat, the conditions made the region highly flammable.

Extreme Weather Conditions Persist in Brazil: Winter Frosts and Winter Drought, Excessive Heat

While the winter months in Brazil are generally dry, this year, the rainfall was less than normal and temperatures soared. This essentially is a continuation of the pattern that started in 2020 and compromised the coffee and sugarcane crops. Now the 2022/23 production outlook is diminishing from the continuation of erratic climatic conditions across the key growing regions. The freezing temperatures in July left many trees with dead foliage. As drought took hold with extreme heat, the conditions made the region highly flammable. While some wild fires are a common sight at this time of year, the situation became very alarming in August and September as the drought persisted. Both sugarcane fields and coffee farms suffered damage with the skies blackened by the charred smoke rising across the region. Air quality suffered and there were concerns that the sun was being blocked too, preventing sufficient photosynthesis for the trees.
  • Farmers Skeletonizing and Stumping Trees,
  • Hoping they Survive
  • Farmers across the frost zone areas have been assessing their tree conditions post-harvest and determining the best course of action for their future.
  • Trees that have not had vascular system damage are being pruned to give hope for renewed growth of the branches, which then should produce again for the 2023/24 crop but have no production in 2022/23.
  • Drought and High Temperatures Diminish Hopes for a Strong Flowering
  • Coffee trees are starting to blossom, but with the driest conditions in decades and high temperatures, the trees critical pre-flowering stage could already be compromised. Sufficient rainfall in a timely manner is critical for the support of the flowers or further losses could occur.
  • Even the most prolific flowering could be lost if there isn’t sufficient leaves to support the energy balance in the trees, no matter how much precipitation there might be in October and November.