Sao Paulo, March 9 (IANS/EFE) Brazil's coffee exports fell 15 percent in volume terms in February, compared to the same month in 2009, the exporters council, known as Cecafe, said.

The report released by Cecafe Monday shows that nearly 2.23 million sacks, worth $361 million, were exported last month.

The figures were affected by the crop's two-year cycle, which yielded smaller production numbers than in the previous year, Cecafe said.

Brazil's main export markets are Germany, which buys nearly 1 million sacks annually, and the US, which purchases just under 800,000 sacks.

Italy, which buys slightly less than 500,000 sacks, Japan, with just over 340,000 sacks, and Belgium, where volume fell nearly 28 percent to just under 300,000 sacks, round out the list of the South American country's top five customers.

High-quality arabica beans account for about 89 percent of Brazil's exports.