Brazil

Fearing falling prices due to an expected record-breaking bumper crop this year, Brazilian coffee growers are pressing the government to purchases more beans to help prop up prices.

The farmers are hoping the government will buy up to 5 million 60kg bags of coffee at a cost of about BRL1.5 billion (US$860 million),

"Brazil needs to be prepared for a large crop and keep supplies in check to avert price drops," Rosemeire Santos, a director of the National Agriculture Confederation Santos told Bloomberg.

Brazil could produce between 45.9 million to 48.7 million coffee bags this year. In 2009, it produced 39.5 million bags. The current record highest annual coffee bean production stands at 48.5 million bags in 2002.