Coffee plantation worker picking ripe coffee cherries by hand

Rural worker hand-picks ripe coffee cherries on a Brazilian farm, a practice demanding precision and expertise.

About this subject

Manual coffee harvesting is a tradition that persists in many regions of Brazil, especially in mountainous areas where machines cannot operate. The worker, known as a 'picker', selects only ripe fruits (red or purple cherries), leaving green ones to mature. This selectivity ensures beverage quality, as green or overripe beans spoil the flavor. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and exporter, with annual harvests exceeding 50 million bags. Manual harvesting, though slower and costlier, is valued for specialty coffees, which can fetch up to 5 times more than commodity coffee. About 80% of Brazilian coffee plantations are in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, and Bahia. The activity requires physical strength and technique: the worker walks along coffee rows, making quick hand movements to detach fruits without damaging branches. On average, a picker harvests 60 to 120 liters of coffee per day, depending on crop yield. Mechanization is advancing, but on family farms and steep terrains, manual harvesting still dominates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is manual coffee harvesting important for quality?

Manual harvesting allows selecting only ripe fruits, ensuring uniformity and avoiding green or overripe beans that compromise the beverage's flavor.

How much coffee does a worker harvest per day in manual cultivation?

On average, a picker harvests 60 to 120 liters of coffee per day, depending on crop yield and worker experience.

Where is coffee production concentrated in Brazil?

About 80% of Brazilian coffee plantations are in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, and Bahia.