coffee

Coffee and palm oil and the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Colombia

Last Updated 06 March 2025


THE SITUATION
The implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires that agricultural imports are not linked to deforestation. This regulation mandates due diligence, including the precise geographic coordinates of production sites. Compliance with these requirements poses significant challenges for Colombian agriculture, particularly in key sectors such as coffee and palm oil. Ensuring full traceability from origin to the European market demands the adoption of new technologies and processes.

Coffee and palm oil are some of the flagship products of Colombia and two of the most exported agricultural products to the EU market. Coffee is one of the most important crops for the country and a vital driver of the Colombian economy, representing about 15% of the agricultural GDP (MinAgricultura, 2022). More than 552,000 Colombian families derive their livelihood directly from coffee production (FNC, 2024). In Palm, Colombia is the largest producer of certified palm oil in Latin America and the fourth-largest palm oil producer in the world (Fedepalma, 2023). In Colombia, 596,217 ha are cultivated with palm oil by more than 7,550 producers (Fedepalma, 2024).

THE PROBLEM
The main challenge lies in adapting Colombian producers to the EUDR requirements. Implementing robust traceability systems requires investments in technology, training, and process standardisation, which can be particularly difficult for small-scale farmers due to financial and technical constraints. Additionally, aligning national standards with international regulations is crucial to facilitate a smooth transition and prevent potential trade barriers that could impact the competitiveness of Colombian agricultural products in the European market in this case coffee and palm oil.
THE PROJECT
In this project we will study the current situation in these two value chains, identify bottlenecks and hotspots and expected impact of the regulation (phase 1) followed by identifying and assessing potential solutions that will allow growers (and EU importers) to ensure traceability of their products (phase 2), finalising with proposing (localised) measures so that the impacts of the upcoming EU regulation are minimized (phase 3). The project page can be found here: https://research.wur.nl/en/projects/kvm-2024-identify-and-assess-technologies-to-support-traceability . The reports can be found here as well.

Colombia

Team members

Timeframe

2023-2024

Resources

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