Brazil: the world's largest producer of coffee beans

Coffee cafezinho is Brazil's favorite small cup of strong black coffee. In Brazil, buying you a cup of coffee is a habit and an important etiquette for hospitality, just like Chinese tea. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer, known as the "coffee kingdom". It is said that the first person to discover coffee was an old shepherd in the Kafa region of Ethiopia. Because his sheep were particularly excited and active after eating a kind of red berries in the bushes, he was surprised that he also ate a few of them. I was so excited that coffee came out.

The French first transplanted the plant to French Guiana and then extended it to other places. It was not until the 18th century that Brazil, desperate for coffee seeds, did everything possible to get some mature coffee beans and five coffee saplings from Guyana, and it was the reproduction of these seeds and seedlings that made Brazil's dream of a "coffee kingdom" come true. At that time in Europe, coffee drinking has developed from a unique enjoyment of the aristocracy to the popularity of ordinary people, and the market demand has greatly increased. The soil and climate of several states in Brazil are particularly suitable for growing coffee, so coffee cultivation is growing rapidly and expanding to the southwest.

According to statistics, between 1820 and 1840, coffee production in Brazil increased by 206%, which is much higher than that in other parts of the world. For example, between 1825 and 1850, world coffee production increased three times, while Brazil increased five times. It has become the world's first coffee producer and exporter, and coffee cultivation has also become a new pillar of the Brazilian economy. Until 1960, coffee exports still accounted for 56.2% of its foreign exchange earnings. Since then, Brazil has experienced great economic development, and coffee exports still accounted for 13.8% of its total exports in 1980. No wonder Brazilians call it "green gold". When we lived in Brazil, we were invited to spend the weekend on a coffee plantation. The host accompanied us into the green coffee garden, and at a glance, the coffee trees were lined up horizontally and vertically, neatly, a bit like a Chinese tea garden, except that the coffee tree was taller than the tea tree and could grow to about 3 meters. The oval leaves were opposite, and the axils of the leaves were covered with cyan fruit. The master said that in May-June, the ripe fruit would turn red, and it would be time to harvest coffee beans. Then I visited the coffee processing process, which requires superb expertise.

Finally, the host warmly invited us into the coffee shop of the manor. A black woman brewed a cup of coffee for each of us with freshly ground hot coffee beans in the traditional way, but she felt a strong aroma and fine taste. Its taste is indeed unmatched by ordinary instant coffee. After drinking it, it still has a mouthful of fragrance. This is the most delicious coffee we have ever had.