IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIALTY COFFEE CROP IN THE TERRITORY OF CAPARAÓ CAPIXABA

Abstract

The search for quality coffees in Brazil gained prominence from 1990 onwards, promoting regular competitions and the identification of specialty coffees. This encouraged the formation of rural producer associations. This study focuses on the identification and location of specialty coffees in the Caparaó Capixaba Rural Territory region. Initially, coffees with scores above 80 points, according to the SCAA protocol, were identified using data from Caparaó Jr. The coordinates of the winning crops were collected via GPS and maps were generated in Q-GIS. The relief analysis used slope and altitude data from MDEHC and contour lines. The soil type was classified with IBGE data, and historical precipitation and temperature data were interpolated into maps. Statistical analysis showed the predominance of the Arabica species, with variations in distribution by municipality over three years. Conillon coffee had limited production due to high costs. The research highlighted the positive influence of geographic factors such as altitude and soil on the sensorial quality of Arabica coffee. These findings reinforce the search for improvements in coffee quality, driven by the specialty coffee market. The conclusion highlights the importance of georeferencing and the use of GIS to understand and improve production in the Caparaó Capixaba region.