Brazil’s Coffee Farmers Invest in Costly Irrigation to Meet Rising Global Demand

The severe drought that hit Brazilian coffee growers in 2024 pushed many to adopt large-scale irrigation systems, especially in new farming regions like western Bahia, where aquifers lie close to the surface. A notable example is the Joha farm, with 900 hectares under irrigation, projecting yields twice the national average and sales of up to 80 bags per hectare. (reuters.com)

However, access to water is highly unequal: while in Bahia the Urucuia aquifer is only 20 meters deep, in Minas Gerais farmers must drill up to 300 meters, making irrigation far more expensive and limited. Added to this are high costs 1.5 million reais per pivot system and 40,000 reais per hectare for drip irrigation, which create serious financial barriers for many growers, especially smallholders. (reuters.com)

This shift toward irrigated systems responds to a growing global coffee supply deficit: for four consecutive years, consumption has exceeded production, leading to shrinking inventories and a 25% increase in arabica prices in 2025 alone, following a 70% surge in 2024. Major brands such as Starbucks, Nespresso, and JDE Peet have already passed part of these costs on to consumers. (reuters.com)