Coffee drying structures: plastic solutions for coffee drying terraces

• Grant number: 23/03844-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Agreement: BRASKEM
• Principal Investigator: Telma Teixeira Franco
• Grantee: Damiana Neves da Silva de Barros
• Host Institution: Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Planejamento Energético (NIPE). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Planejamento Energético (NIPE)
• Associated research grant: 21/05251-8 - Proposal for the creation of the Plasticulture Engineering Centre, AP.PCPE

Abstract

Coffee growing is one of the most significant activities in Brazilian agribusiness. Currently, coffee (Coffea arabica L.) occupies an area of 1.76 million hectares, with production of 48.77 million bags of 60 kg; approximately 60% of all coffee produced in Brazil is exported mainly to Germany and the United States. Despite this recognition, the average productivity of Brazilian coffee plantations is still considered low, around 30 bags/ha, in the average of positive and negative biennial years. Therefore, coffee growers are always looking for technologies that increase productivity, with rationalization of inputs, aiming to improve the quality of the Brazilian beverage.The use of plastic in agriculture is an important tool in the technological advancement of the sector, and can be applied in several areas, such as rationalizing the use of inputs, producing quality seedlings and improving the final quality of the product. For this, studies must be carried out continuously in order to elucidate whether the agricultural benefits justify the environmental issues, mainly related to the disposal of these products in rural areas.Coffee drying is a fundamental step in the production process, responsible for maintaining the quality of the product harvested in the field. The use of plastic films at this stage can be an important tool in the process, ensuring quality and efficiency in the process. In this context, it is proposed to carry out an experiment with the objective of evaluating different types of plastic films in the drying process of coffee beans, correlating with the final quality of the beverage. (AU)