A new Solidaridad assessment across 120 supply chain organisations highlights a sharp divide: while exporters are moving forward, the vast majority of smallholders and farmers face critical gaps.
European buyers are already requiring data for EUDR compliance. Solidaridad’s recent study in Colombia reveals that 79% of coffee exporters and 75% of cocoa exporters have received formal requests for traceability and due diligence data.
However, the supply chain reveals a severe readiness bottleneck. Conducted with support from the EU TRACECOL program, the survey demonstrates a steep operational gradient: downstream exporters lead implementation, mid-tier actors lag behind and frontline agricultural producers remain overwhelmingly unprepared.
Why it matters
European importers are turning to Colombia as a key sourcing origin. European Commission figures show EU agricultural imports from Colombia rose 30.6% in 2025 and agricultural goods are now 54.8% of everything the EU buys from the Latin American country.¹
Keeping that trade flowing means proving products are deforestation-free after 31 December 2020, legally produced and covered by due diligence. The regulation applies from 30 December 2026 for general operators and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises.
The Core Vulnerability: Producers Left Without Roadmaps
While half of exporters have finalised their EUDR strategy, preparedness collapses at the farm level. Complete action plans exist among only 26% of palm oil nucleus estates, 14% of coffee producer groups and a striking 8% of cocoa producer organisations. Alarmingly, 38% of cocoa producer groups have no compliance strategy in place whatsoever.
Regulatory ambiguity compounds this risk. Across mid-tier cooperatives and processors, 75% in coffee and palm oil and 53% in cocoa report only partial clarity on their legal obligations. Without clear regulatory guidance, building an effective implementation plan is nearly impossible.
Mapping Progress vs. Severe Legal and Capability Shortfalls
Farm geolocation stands out as a key area of progress. Over 70% of farms are mapped in 79% of palm oil estates and 72% of coffee producer groups. In palm oil, 74% of nucleus estates have completed georeferencing, outstripping the 50% reported by traders.
Conversely, proving legal compliance remains a major structural hurdle. Timely access to necessary legal documentation stands at just 42% for palm oil estates, 25% for cocoa producers and 14% for coffee farmers. Exporters face similar challenges, with access to legal verification hitting only 50% in cocoa, 33% in palm oil and a critical 7% in coffee.
Technical capacity presents another major deficit. Dedicated staff with advanced EUDR training are present in only 8% of cocoa producer organisations, 21% of palm oil estates and 29% of coffee groups. Mid-tier organisations fare similarly poorly (12–25%), with coffee exporters serving as the sole bright spot at 59%.
Key Bottlenecks: Financing and System Interoperability
Producers across sectors identify financing as their primary hurdle. Digital fragmentation is a close second: manual data collection and isolated systems create severe interoperability gaps that drive up costs through redundant processing. While producer willingness to comply is high, the required resources and infrastructure are missing.
Years of preparation have helped exporters to get ready for the EU deforestation regulation, but their suppliers are still struggling to catch up. Coordinated support is essential for smallholders to adopt the technologies and training needed for compliance.
Joel Brounen, Country Manager, Solidaridad Colombia
By taking decisive action on these recommendations, stakeholders can ensure that compliance efforts do more than maintain market access—they can position Colombia as a premier global leader in sustainable, deforestation-free agriculture while protecting smallholders.
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