75 Samples from Coffee Growers in the Jequitinhonha Valley Competed This Year
With a pulped natural coffee scoring an average of 88.5 points, Ronaldo Morais Pena Filho from Fazenda Primavera emerged as the grand winner of the 3rd Chapada de Minas Award. The announcement was made on Thursday night (October 24) in Capelinha, located in the northeastern region of Minas Gerais. Ronaldo, who won the pulped natural category for properties over 20 hectares, also secured second place in the natural category.
At the auction following the awards ceremony, his coffee fetched the highest bid, reaching R$ 5,500 per 60-kg bag.
The Primavera group, which operates two other farms in the region, also took third place in the pulped natural category with produce from Fazenda Riviera, managed by Ronaldo’s partner, Mateus Lettieri Junqueira.
This year, the competition saw the participation of 75 coffee samples from growers across the Chapada region, which encompasses approximately 5,800 producers from 22 municipalities in the Jequitinhonha Valley. This area has seen significant economic development in recent years, driven by eucalyptus and coffee cultivation.
The Primavera farm’s manager, agronomist André Aprelini, accepted the champion’s trophy. He shared that the farm, located in the municipality of Angelândia, has been cultivating coffee for over 40 years and was one of the pioneers in the Chapada region. Initially owned by a local family, the farm was later sold to Portuguese owners and is now held by two Brazilian partners and a Canadian fund.
Fazenda Primavera spans 600 hectares of coffee plantations. In total, the group’s three farms in Minas Gerais cover 1,400 hectares, with 900 hectares under irrigation. The group plans to plant an additional 450 hectares in 2025 and aims to continue expanding until 2030. Currently, around 85% of the coffee produced at Primavera qualifies as specialty coffee, scoring above 80 points on a 100-point scale.
One of the secrets behind their success lies in the farm’s automated post-harvest infrastructure. Last year, the farm invested R$ 4 million in this sector, with an additional R$ 1.2 million being allocated this year for dryer upgrades.
According to the manager, all production is traceable, with about 60% to 70% of it destined for export.
This was the first time the award ceremony was held in the region itself. In previous years, the announcement took place at the International Coffee Week (SIC) in Belo Horizonte. The shift aimed to highlight the region, which already boasts its own brand and is now seeking a Geographical Indication certification from the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (Inpi), with support from Sebrae.
Microlot Natural Category (up to 20 hectares)
The winner of the microlot natural category was Tarcísio Costa Barbosa from Sítio Marmoreio in Água Boa. Tarcísio began cultivating coffee in the region in 1988 on his 6-hectare property. Although it was his first time participating in a competition, he was encouraged by a Senar technician to invest in quality. He dedicated more time to turning the coffee on the drying patio and was moved by the recognition.
“My wife, Maria Helena, took care of this special coffee. Now, I want to focus even more on quality,” said the small farmer, who typically sells his coffee for R$ 1,500 per bag but managed to secure R$ 4,600 for his microlot at the auction following the awards ceremony in Capelinha.
Traditional Natural Category (over 20 hectares)
Rodrigo Crimaldo Mendes from Fazenda Sequoia was the winner in the traditional natural category. Three years ago, Rodrigo invested R$ 12 million in an automated indoor processing system, replacing manual drying on patios.
At the auction, Sequoia’s geisha variety coffee reached R$ 5,200 per bag.
Winners of the 3rd Chapada de Minas Award
Microlot Natural (up to 20 ha)
1st Place: Tarcísio Costa Barbosa – Sítio Marmoreio
2nd Place: José Cunha Fernandes – Sítio Brejo do Cunha
3rd Place: Gilson Pereira da Silva – Fazenda Oda
Traditional Natural (over 20 ha)
1st Place: Rodrigo Crimaldo Mendes – Fazenda Sequoia
2nd Place: Ronaldo Morais Pena Filho – Fazenda Primavera
3rd Place: Sérgio Meirelles Filho – Fazenda Alvorada
Pulped Natural (over 20 ha)
1st Place: Ronaldo Morais Pena Filho – Fazenda Primavera
2nd Place: Rodrigo Crimaldo Mendes – Fazenda Sequoia
3rd Place: Mateus Lettieri Junqueira – Fazenda Riviera
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