USDA has scaled down its estimate for Brazil’s coffee production in 2017-18 by 900,000 bags (1 bag = 60 kg) to 51.2 mln bags due to worse-than-average de-husking yield of the arabica variety. Arabica production in Brazil is estimated at 38.80 mln bags in 2017-18, down 4% compared to the previous estimate, while robusta output is pegged at 12.4 mln bags, up 7% from the previous forecast, due to better than anticipated yields, especially in the state of Bahia. Consumption of coffee in Brazil is estimated at 22.2 mln bags in 2017-18, up 3% on year.