EUDR readiness worldwide: Indian Exporters to take note

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) shall apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium enterprises, and from 30 June 2027 for smaller enterprises. It covers cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, rubber, cattle, and wood, along with derivative products such as chocolate and furniture.

Recent reports from Africa highlight the practical challenges of meeting EUDR requirements. In Ivory Coast, one of the EU's largest cocoa suppliers, only about 48% of cocoa exports are currently traceable to source farms, underscoring the importance of robust traceability systems across commodity supply chains.

Indian exporters may draw a clear lesson from this. Supply chains must be mapped back to the originating farm, rather than the immediate supplier alone, as goods often pass through several intermediaries before reaching an exporter. Precise geolocation data for these plots should be collected well in advance, as the process can take several months. Environmental clearances and labour compliance documentation must also be maintained, as EU importers will rely on the records provided by Indian businesses.