Brazil
Sul de Minas
Luis Fernando de Oliveira
Água Limpa Farm
Red Catuaí
Natural
May - Jun
Brown Sugar, Dark Chocolate, Hint if black currant
1000 meters
N/A
60Kg /GrainPro Bags
EU - Hamburg, Germany - Schwarze
Luiz Fernando de Oliveira always dreamed of owning his own land. Originally from Batatais, São Paulo, he made a bold decision in 2005: selling his house to purchase an 8-hectare area in Pratápolis, Minas Gerais, with 2 hectares already cultivated with coffee. Initially, his plan was dairy farming, but inspired by his father, he shifted his focus to coffee production.
With limited resources, Luiz Fernando relied on manual labor to establish his coffee plantation. During the week, he and his wife, Valéria, continued working in Batatais while dedicating weekends to farm work. Without infrastructure on the property, supportive neighbors played a crucial role in those early years.
The journey was not easy. A lack of skilled labor made every step more challenging, and all farm work—from planting to maintenance—was done manually. Despite these obstacles, Luiz Fernando persevered, reinvesting every possible resource to gradually expand his production.
Over the years, his wife became his sole helper in farm activities, as their two daughters pursued careers in agronomy. Even so, Luiz remains motivated, particularly with the recent rise in coffee prices, which has helped sustain his efforts.
In 2025: for the first time, the harvest will be done using machinery. Until now, every step had been manual, a practice Luiz believes is crucial for maintaining quality. The hope is that mechanization will enhance efficiency without compromising the coffee’s excellence.
Today, looking back on his journey, Luiz Fernando sees both the struggles and the triumphs. Family and community support have been vital in transforming his dream into a reality. As he continues forward, he remains committed to improving his production and securing a strong future for Pratápolis coffee.
Additional Information
Coffee-Planted Hectares: 9 ha
Total Farm Area: 32 ha
Flowering Months: November
Latitude: 20°49’28.4″S
Longitude: 46°44’57.7″W
Annual Production: 200 bags
Read more about coffee varieties of Brazil on our blog.
Southern Minas Gerais is one of Brazil’s most productive coffee producing areas. This region has grown Arabica coffee since the 1850s and is characterized by rolling hills, a mild climate averaging 23° C, and high elevations. While some of the largest coffee producing properties in Brazil are located in Sul de Minas, more than half of the region’s producers are small to medium-sized farms. Sul de Minas accounts for, on average, 30% of Brazil’s coffee production.
The mountainous terrain, reaching up to 1400 meters above sea level, is ideally suited for growing coffee and Sul de Minas has increased production quality through investments in infrastructure and sustainability measures. The most commonly cultivated varieties are Yellow Catuai and Novo Mundo, with some farms also growing Icatu, Obatã and Red Catuai. Most of the coffee produced is processed as Natural and the final cup profiles are full bodied, with low acidity and fruity aromas.
