The EUDR's Categorization Of India As A Low-Risk Country May Boost Coffee Exports – CoffeeTalk

The European Union’s categorisation of India as a low-risk country under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is expected to boost Indian coffee exports. Shipments have seen some improvement in the past few weeks, crossing the billion-dollar mark in the first five months, even as they trail the previous year’s levels in volume. The EUDR norms, set to come into effect from December 30, 2025, are aimed at curbing the imports of certain products from deforested areas. It mandates that companies exporting commodities such as coffee and cocoa, along with their derived products to the EU markets, must conduct thorough deforestation analysis, detailed risk assessment, and risk mitigation to ensure that these goods are not sourced from deforested areas since December 31, 2020. The proposed EUDR emphasizes the importance of complying with laws related to environmental and social aspects with the sustainability principles embedded in them.

Buyers from Europe, which accounts for a major chunk of the Indian coffee exports, have already started insisting that the coffee shipped by Indian exporters from July 1 to be compliant with the EUDR norms. Categorisation of India in the low risk category meant simplified due diligence obligations for operators and traders. A review of the benchmarking by EU is scheduled for 2026. Once the Coffee Board App is released, it can help the Indian growers and exporters to comply with the EUDR norms without much difficulty.

As per the Board estimates, coffee exports in value have exceeded $1.01 billion during the January 1-June 6 period this calendar year compared with $780 million a year ago, an increase of 30%. However, volumes are trailing at 1.80 lakh tonnes this year against 2.10 lakh tonnes a year ago.

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