The country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says the system developed in partnership with JDE Peet’s will enable smallholder coffee farmers and exporters to comply with incoming regulations, ensure continued access to EU markets and meet long-term sustainability goals
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A coffee plantation in the Đắk Nông province of Vietnam’s Central Highlands region | Photo credit: Dang Cong
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has launched a database system for coffee-growing areas in the country to verify that farmers are compliant with incoming EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR).
Developed in partnership with Netherlands-based trade platform IDH and coffee and tea group JDE Peet’s, the Database System for Forest and Coffee Growing Areas provides a traceability system to ensure Vietnam’s coffee farmers, particularly smallholders, retain access to the EU markets.
The system uses datasets such as land-use planning maps, cadastral maps and production area details to accurately track forest management on coffee farms and can provide reliable data for exporters and trading companies to speed up transactions and reduce customs delays.
In a press release, the MARD government department said the system is focused on aligning production with the EU’s stringent traceability requirements, addressing both short-term compliance and long-term sustainability goals.
“This system marks a significant achievement in Vietnam’s effort to comply with EUDR. The MARD is committed to playing a key role in scaling up, updating, and maintaining the system, ensuring it helps the coffee sector meet international standards,” said Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of the International Collaboration Department, MARD.
Read related content: Is EUDR the right solution to tackle coffee-linked deforestation?
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer and exported nearly 1.45 million tonnes of coffee during the 12 months ended September 2024, according to the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association (VICOFA). The EU is Vietnam’s largest coffee export market, accounting for 38% of volume and, at approximately $2bn, 37% of export value.
EUDR will require businesses importing products to the EU considered ‘main drivers for deforestation’ – including coffee, cocoa, palm oil, paper and wood – to produce a due diligence statement that imports have not contributed to forest degradation anywhere in the world after 31 December 2020.
The legislation was due to come into force on 30 December 2024 but was granted a 12-month extension by the European Parliament to give coffee farmers additional time to comply.
“The effective implementation of the EUDR in Vietnam is crucial to ensuring access to EU markets, including the Dutch, while promoting sustainable, deforestation-free production. The development of this database system is a vital step in this process, offering an effective and inclusive solution that supports transparency, smallholder inclusion, and low-cost compliance,” added Kaj van de Vorstenbosch, part of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ climate department.
Originally developed for the coffee industry, MARD plans to utilise the flexibility of the Database System for Forest and Coffee Growing Areas to eventually expand coverage to other commodities, such as rubber, pepper and cocoa.