South Minas, Brazil's prime coffee area, is expected to get up to 54 millimeters (2.1 inches) of rain on Saturday which will take its October total above the monthly average of 140 millimeters (5.5 inches) Early next week, the band of wet weather will move into the forested coffee zones of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo, bringing welcome moisture after virtually no rain this month.
Rain is needed to aid development of next year's crop which traders estimate between 45 million and 52 million 60-kg bags, reflecting an upturn in arabica's biennial production cycle, favourable rains and increased crop care.