When Is Coffee Harvest Season?

It depends on the region. North of the equator (e.g. Central America) harvest runs from September to December, south (e.g. Brazil) from April to August. Near the equator, there are often two harvests.

Why that matters

Coffee harvest timing is determined by the rainy season. The coffee plant flowers after a rainy period, and the cherries then need 8–10 months to ripen. Since rainy and dry seasons differ by hemisphere and region, the harvest shifts accordingly.

In Central America and the Caribbean (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, parts of Colombia), the main harvest falls between September and December, sometimes extending to February. In Brazil, which lies south of the equator, harvesting runs from April to August — the Brazilian harvest has an enormous impact on world market prices because the country supplies one-third of global production.

Near the equator — Kenya, Colombia, parts of Indonesia — there are often two rainy seasons and therefore two harvest periods per year: a main crop and a smaller secondary harvest (fly crop or mitaca). The main crop generally delivers better quality.

For the consumer, this means freshly roasted coffee follows a seasonal rhythm. An Ethiopian coffee from the current harvest typically reaches Europe in spring. A Brazilian in autumn. Good roasters communicate the harvest season on their packaging — a sign of transparency and freshness.

At Green Wall Coffee

At our café on Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, the coffees on the menu change with the harvest seasons. In spring, fresh lots from Ethiopia and Kenya often arrive; in autumn, Brazilian and Central American ones. I explain to regulars why their favourite coffee isn’t available year-round: coffee is a seasonal product, even if the supermarket suggests otherwise.

More depth on this topic in the article How to Make Perfect Espresso. Or stop by at Sophienstraße 27 — Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.