With coffee prices registering historic increases in the last two years, crime has reached several producing regions. Farmers are now forced to adopt new protection measures: bees and dogs help.
The new reality, which occurs especially in large producers (Uganda, Brazil, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Colombia and Honduras) has led farmers to adopt more creative measures to protect their harvests, such as the use of guard dogs and even bees.
Arabica and Robusta coffee, the two most traded species consumed in Portugal, recently reached the highest prices in recent decades. Arabica reached US$ 3.29 per pound, the highest value since 1977while Robusta reached 1979 highs.
Now, in Brazilfor example, police stepped up patrols during the harvest season to help producers prevent looting. Uganda, the sixth largest coffee producer in the world, has been most affected by coffee crime, with high crime rates related to the theft of bags of beans.
Ugandan farmers have been forced to adopt innovative strategies to protect their crops. In addition to shift watchmen and hired security guards, many invest in guard dogs and apiaries.
The idea of using bees is promoted by the Central Uganda Coffee Producers Association (CECOFA), which encourages the installation of hives to protect crops, reports . In addition to contributing to pollination, increasing coffee productivity by up to 20%, bees also act as an effective deterrent against thieves.
In the global market, coffee continues to be a reference product. Despite the challenges, the price of Robusta rose 58.7% in 2024, while Arabica rose 59%, consolidating the 2023 gains.
