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C Story / Jonas Ferraresso. Illustration / Jun Guan

Frost Hits

Brazilian Crops

Extent of Damage Not Yet Known

T his climatic phenomenon was already one of

the great villains of Brazilian coffee-growing
for almost a century, causing problems two
dozen times, and with devastating losses in the
years 1902, 1918, 1975, and 1994. In 1975, the cold practi-
cally eradicated coffee in the state of Paraná, at the time one
of the largest coffee producers in the country. Frosts in their
most severe level are known as “Black Frost” because the
temperatures are so low that they freeze the leaves, branch-
es, roots, and sap of the plants. Although Coffea Arabica
withstands low temperatures, it does not have as efficient
protection mechanisms as pine trees. Currently, Brazilian
coffee growing is distributed in several regions of the coun-
try and mostly in areas with less risk of frost but impacts of
the order of only 10 percent would affect 221,691 hectares,
three times the footprint of New York City.

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