EUDR: How the Costa Rica Coffee Industry is Leading the Way

As we continue to support clients on the EU Deforestation Regulation(EUDR), we are constantly evaluating and adopting best practices from all around the world. Visit bassiounigroup.com/eudr to sign up for a free briefing. Costa Rica is a great example of a country that is leading the way. The Central American country is a key player in the specialty coffee market and ranks among the top 25 global coffee exporters, capturing around $422 million in annual export value. Per Daily Coffee News, Costa Rica has carved an impressive path in its EUDR compliance:

🎯 “To prepare for EUDR, Costa Rica developed a pilot program with the country’s largest coffee growers’ cooperative, and started shipping deforestation-free coffee to Europe in March 2024."

🎯 "Costa Rica provided the tools developed for this pilot to the entire coffee sector, with the aim of all coffee shipped from the country being certified deforestation-free."

🎯 "The country’s initial pilot provided training and workshops on EUDR rules to producers, processors and exporters via CoopeTarrazú, the country’s largest growers’ cooperative. This included assessing the best georeferencing technologies — including satellite imagery and AI programs — to certify which farms had not been deforested since 2020, as well as establishing guidelines for producers, due diligence processes and documentation chains to ensure that Costa Rican coffee could be traced through its entire production process.”

🎯 "However, Costa Rica’s long-standing sustainability standards gave it a head start on meeting the new regulations, experts say, warning that other countries with lower standards and fewer resources may find it difficult to quickly emulate its success."

While Costa Rica’s coffee industry is nearly ready for EUDR, the same cannot be said for other countries or companies engaged in the process. EUDR is a complex and demanding regulation covering seven commodities (coffee, cocoa, cattle, palm oil, rubber, soy, timber). It requires a diligent and comprehensive approach covering supplier engagement, data collection, geolocation mapping and risk management. Visit our Calendly to schedule a free EUDR briefing.